< Reconstruction:Proto-Slavic
Reconstruction:Proto-Slavic/vodьnikъ
 | This Proto-Slavic entry contains reconstructed words 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-Slavic
Etymology 1
Formed as *vodьnъ (“watery”) + *-ikъ or equivalently *voda (“water”) + *-ьnikъ. Some daughter languages make distinction between male and female water spirits, in which case *vodьnikъ m refers specifically to the male spirit, while *vodьnica f refers to the female one.
Noun
*vodьnìkъ m
- washbasin, sink
- nix, water spirit, water elemental
- Synonym: *topilьcь
Alternative forms
- *vodьňakъ (in South Slavic)
- *voďanikъ (in East Slavic)
- *voďanojь
Declension
Declension of *vodьnikъ (hard o-stem)
| Singular | Dual | Plural | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Nominative | *vodьnikъ | *vodьnika | *vodьnici |
| Accusative | *vodьnikъ | *vodьnika | *vodьniky |
| Genitive | *vodьnika | *vodьniku | *vodьnikъ |
| Locative | *vodьnicě | *vodьniku | *vodьnicěxъ |
| Dative | *vodьniku | *vodьnikoma | *vodьnikomъ |
| Instrumental | *vodьnikъmь, *vodьnikomь* | *vodьnikoma | *vodьniky |
| Vocative | *vodьniče | *vodьnika | *vodьnici |
* -ъmь in North Slavic, -omь in South Slavic.
Related terms
- *voda (“water”)
- *vodъka (“vodka”)
- *vodьnъ (“watery”)
- *vědro (“bucket”)
See also
- *vila (“nymph, fairy, vila”)
- *duxъ (“spirit”)
- *vixъrъ (“whirl, wind elemental”)
- *pьklo (“ember, fire elemental”)
- *boltьnikъ (“swamp spirit, bolotnik”)
- *lěšьjь, *lěšovojь, *lěsьnikъ, *lěsovikъ (“forest spirit, lesnik”)
- *poľevojь, *poľevikъ (“field spirit, gnome, polevik”)
- *mora, *morva, *mořena (“phantom, spirit of death and rebirth, morena”)
Descendants
- East Slavic:
- Belarusian: вадзяні́к (vadzjaník)
- → Russian: водяно́й (vodjanój)
- Ukrainian: водяни́к (vodjanýk)
- South Slavic:
- Bulgarian: воднѝк (vodnìk), водня̀к (vodnjàk), воднѝца (vodnìca)
- Macedonian: водник (vodnik)
- Serbo-Croatian:
- Cyrillic: водењак, вођаној
- Latin: vodanoj
- Slovene: vodnják
- West Slavic:
- Czech: vodník
- Polish: wodnik, wodnica
- Slovak: vodnik
Further reading
- Snoj, Marko (2016), “vodnják”, in Slovenski etimološki slovar, Ljubljana: Inštitut za slovenski jezik Frana Ramovša ZRC SAZU, →ISBN
Etymology 2
From *voditi (“to lead”) + *-ьnikъ.
Noun
*vodьnĩkъ m
- leader, guide
- Synonym: *vodačь
- transport worker
Declension
Declension of *vodьnĩkъ (hard o-stem, accent paradigm b)
| Singular | Dual | Plural | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Nominative | *vodьnĩkъ | *vodьnīkà | *vodьnīcì |
| Accusative | *vodьnĩkъ | *vodьnīkà | *vodьnīkỳ |
| Genitive | *vodьnīkà | *vodьnīkù | *vodьnĩkъ |
| Locative | *vodьnīcě̀ | *vodьnīkù | *vodьnĩcěxъ |
| Dative | *vodьnīkù | *vodьnīkòma | *vodьnīkòmъ |
| Instrumental | *vodьnīkъ̀mь, *vodьnīkòmь* | *vodьnīkòma | *vodьnĩky |
| Vocative | *vodьniče | *vodьnīkà | *vodьnīcì |
* -ъmь in North Slavic, -omь in South Slavic.
Related terms
- *vodъ (“conduct, lead”)
- *voditi (“to lead”)
- *vaditi (“to pull, to draw”)
Derived terms
- *provodьnikъ (“conductor”)
- *jьzvodьnikъ (“output channel”)
- *sъvodьnikъ (“procurer, pimp”)
Descendants
- East Slavic:
- Russian: во́дник (vódnik)
- South Slavic:
- Bulgarian: во̀дник (vòdnik)
- Slovene: vodník
Further reading
- Snoj, Marko (2016), “vodník”, in Slovenski etimološki slovar, Ljubljana: Inštitut za slovenski jezik Frana Ramovša ZRC SAZU, →ISBN