Etymologically
Log in

боꙗти

This is the current revision of this entry, as edited by bogdan on 26 October 2026 at 04:16. This address is a permanent link to this version.
Changes in this edit History

Forms

боꙗти (bojati) impf[1] Used reflexively, боꙗти сѧ, present боѭ сѧ, боиши сѧ.[2][3] Glagolitic ⰱⱁⱑⱅⰻ (boěti).[1]

Etymology

It is inherited from Proto-Slavic *bojati (“to fear, be afraid”), a stative verb in -i- with an infinitive in -ě-.[1][4][5] The same verb is Russian бояться (bojatʹsja), Ukrainian боятися (bojatysja), Czech báti se, Polish bać się, Upper Sorbian bojeć so, Serbo-Croatian bòjati se, Slovene bojáti se and Bulgarian боя се (boja se), all meaning to be afraid.[4][5][6]

It comes from Proto-Balto-Slavic *bajā́ˀtei and the Indo-European root Proto-Indo-European *bʰeyh₂- (“to fear”).[1][4] The zero grade of the root is seen in Lithuanian bijóti (“to be afraid”), Latvian bîtiês and Old Prussian biātwei, and in Sanskrit भयते (bháyate, “is afraid”) with the secondary बिभेति (bibhéti).[4][1][5] ESJS takes the Slavic verb from an Indo-European perfect, both in its form, with the root vowel -o-, and in its meaning.[4] Lithuanian bajùs (“terrible”), báimė (“fear”) and Old Irish báigul (“danger”) belong to the same root.[1][6][7]

The comparison with Avestan bayente is doubtful because its meaning is uncertain, and so are Pokorny's Greek, Latin and Germanic cognates.[4] Zubatý connected the verb with бити (biti, “to beat”), with a development from having been beaten to being afraid that suits the old perfect, but ESJS notes that the two Slavic verbs have no semantic link any more.[4]

Earliest recorded meaning

In the Gospels it renders Ancient Greek φοβέω (phobéō, “to frighten, (passive) to fear”): the unjust judge says аште и бога не боѭ сѧ и человѣка не срамлѣѭ сѧ “though I fear not God and have no shame before man” (L 18, 4 Zographensis, Marianus, Assemanianus and Savvina kniga).[3]

Semantic evolution

Besides φοβεῖσθαι, the SJS records τρέμειν, δειλιᾶν, φρίττειν and, in the sense to revere, σέβεσθαι and εὐλαβεῖσθαι.[3] The verb takes the genitive or отъ with the genitive, as in не бои сѧ отъ мѫкъ “do not be afraid of the torments” (Supr 16, 7).[3][2] The phrase боꙗи сѧ бога “God-fearing” renders θεοσεβής and φοβούμενος τὸν θεόν (A 10, 2), and не боѩ сѧ renders ἀφόβως “fearlessly”.[3][2]

ESJS lists the derivatives оубоꙗти and възбоꙗти “to take fright”, боꙗзнь “fear”, a noun found in all Slavic languages, and безбоꙗзниѥ “courage”.[4] Bulgarian боязлив “fearful” is formed from the OCS noun боꙗзнь.[6]

Timeline

  • End of the 9th – beginning of the 10th century – the Euchologium Sinaiticum uses боꙗти for φρίσσειν.[8]
  • End of the 9th – 11th century – the early liturgical translations use it for δείδειν and ἐκφοβεῖν.[8]
  • Up to the early 15th century – the Serbian translation in the Rila monastery uses it for δείδω.[8]

Meanings

Verb

  1. (reflexive) To fear, to be afraid of someone or something; for φοβεῖσθαι, τρέμειν, δειλιᾶν.[3][2][1]
  2. (reflexive) To revere, to stand in awe of; for σέβεσθαι, εὐλαβεῖσθαι.[3]

Word family

  • оубоꙗти
  • възбоꙗти
  • боꙗзнь
  • безбоꙗзниѥ
  • бити
  • Russian бояться (bojatʹsja)

References

  1. ^ a b c d e f g Wiktionary, the free dictionary, https://en.wiktionary.org
  2. ^ a b c d Slovník nejstarších staroslověnských památek (digital ed., Gorazd, Slovanský ústav AV ČR, gorazd.org); cf. Cejtlin, R. M.; Večerka, R.; Blagova, É. (eds.) (1994), Staroslavjanskij slovar' (po rukopisjam X–XI vekov), Moskva: Russkij jazyk
  3. ^ a b c d e f g Kurz, Josef; Hauptová, Zoe (eds.) (1958–1997), Slovník jazyka staroslověnského / Lexicon linguae palaeoslovenicae, 4 vols. + supplements, Praha: Academia; digital ed. gorazd.org
  4. ^ a b c d e f g h Havlová, Eva; Erhart, Adolf; Janyšková, Ilona (eds.) (1989–2022), Etymologický slovník jazyka staroslověnského, 21 fascicles, Praha: Academia / Brno: Tribun EU, p. 71
  5. ^ a b c Derksen, Rick (2008), Etymological Dictionary of the Slavic Inherited Lexicon, Leiden Indo-European Etymological Dictionary Series 4, Leiden / Boston: Brill, p. 50
  6. ^ a b c Georgiev, Vladimir I. et al. (eds.) (1971–), Bălgarski etimologičen rečnik, Sofija: Izdatelstvo na Bălgarskata akademija na naukite, p. 1, 71
  7. ^ Sadnik, Linda; Aitzetmüller, Rudolf (1955), Handwörterbuch zu den altkirchenslavischen Texten, Heidelberg: Winter / 's-Gravenhage: Mouton
  8. ^ a b c SlaVaComp Metaglossar Griechisch–Kirchenslavisch, Universität Freiburg, slavistik-portal.de