Reconstruction:Proto-Indo-European/wr̥mis

This Proto-Indo-European entry contains reconstructed terms and roots. As such, the term(s) in this entry are not directly attested, but are hypothesized to have existed based on comparative evidence.

Proto-Indo-European

Etymology

Possibly from the root *wer- (“to turn, to bend”).[1] Alternatively, a mutation of the synonymous *kʷr̥mis.[2]

Noun

*wr̥mis

worm

Reconstruction notes

Many descendants are reshaped irregularly due to taboo; compare *morwi- and *plúsis.

Ancient Greek ὅρμικας pl (hórmikas, “ants”), Tocharian B warme (“ant”) and Sanskrit वम्र (vamrá, “ant”), traditionally linked to *morwi- (“ant”), may however point to a distinct root *worm-, which could be the source of *wr̥mis.

Inflection

This noun needs an inflection-table template.

Related terms

*kʷr̥mis

Descendants

Proto-Albanian: *wrimi
- Albanian: rrime
Proto-Armenian:
- >? Old Armenian: որդն (ordn)
Proto-Balto-Slavic: *wārmi-, *wārmas
- Lithuanian: var̃mas (“mosquito, horse-fly, fly, bug”)[3]
- Old Prussian: wormyan (“red”), urminan, warmun[4]
- Proto-Slavic: *vьrmьje (see there for further descendants)
Proto-Celtic:
- Proto-Brythonic:
  - Welsh: gwraint
Proto-Germanic: *wurmiz[5] (see there for further descendants)
Proto-Hellenic: *wrómos
- Ancient Greek: ῥόμος (rhómos, “wood-worm”)
Proto-Italic: *wormis[2]
- Latin: vermis (see there for further descendants)

References

Douglas Harper (2001–2023), “worm”, in Online Etymology Dictionary.
De Vaan, Michiel (2008), “vermis”, in Etymological Dictionary of Latin and the other Italic Languages (Leiden Indo-European Etymological Dictionary Series; 7), Leiden, Boston: Brill, →ISBN, page 665
Derksen, Rick (2015), “varmas”, in Etymological Dictionary of the Baltic Inherited Lexicon (Leiden Indo-European Etymological Dictionary Series; 13), Leiden, Boston: Brill, →ISBN, page 490
Derksen, Rick (2015), “wormyan”, in Etymological Dictionary of the Baltic Inherited Lexicon (Leiden Indo-European Etymological Dictionary Series; 13), Leiden, Boston: Brill, →ISBN, page 567
Kroonen, Guus (2013), “*wurmi-”, in Etymological Dictionary of Proto-Germanic (Leiden Indo-European Etymological Dictionary Series; 11), Leiden, Boston: Brill, →ISBN, page 600

[1] Douglas Harper (2001–2023), “worm”, in Online Etymology Dictionary.

[EDL-2] De Vaan, Michiel (2008), “vermis”, in Etymological Dictionary of Latin and the other Italic Languages (Leiden Indo-European Etymological Dictionary Series; 7), Leiden, Boston: Brill, →ISBN, page 665

[3] Derksen, Rick (2015), “varmas”, in Etymological Dictionary of the Baltic Inherited Lexicon (Leiden Indo-European Etymological Dictionary Series; 13), Leiden, Boston: Brill, →ISBN, page 490

[4] Derksen, Rick (2015), “wormyan”, in Etymological Dictionary of the Baltic Inherited Lexicon (Leiden Indo-European Etymological Dictionary Series; 13), Leiden, Boston: Brill, →ISBN, page 567

[5] Kroonen, Guus (2013), “*wurmi-”, in Etymological Dictionary of Proto-Germanic (Leiden Indo-European Etymological Dictionary Series; 11), Leiden, Boston: Brill, →ISBN, page 600