звѣрь

Forms

звѣрь (zvěrĭ) m, i-stem, Glagolitic ⰸⰲⱑⱃⱐ^[1] Some psalters write it with ѕ, as ѕвѣриѥ and ѕвѣри.^[2]

Etymology

It is inherited from Proto-Slavic *zvěrь (“wild animal, beast”), an i-stem with mobile accent in Derksen's reconstruction.^[3][1] The same word is Russian зверь (zverʹ), Ukrainian звір (zvir), Bulgarian звяр (zvjar), Serbo-Croatian zvȉjer, Slovene zvę̑r, Czech zvěř, Slovak zver and Polish zwierz; in Serbo-Croatian, Slovene and Czech it is a feminine i-stem.^[3][4][1]

It continues Proto-Balto-Slavic *źweʔrís, which also gave Lithuanian žvėrìs (“wild animal”), Latvian zvę̂rs and the accusative plural Old Prussian swirins.^[3][4][1] Outside Balto-Slavic the same word is Ancient Greek θήρ (thḗr, “wild animal”), Aeolic φήρ (phḗr), and Latin ferus (“wild”), from Proto-Indo-European *ǵʰwer- (“wild”), which Derksen writes *ǵʰueh₁r-.^[3][4][1][5] Derksen discusses why the Slavic accent does not show the effect of Hirt's law, against Kortlandt's lengthened grade, and Vasmer notes that compounds with Russian зверо- (zvero-) point to a consonant stem.^[3][4]

Earliest recorded meaning

In the Codex Zographensis and the Codex Marianus it renders Ancient Greek θηρίον (thēríon, “wild animal”) in the temptation of Christ: ꙇ бѣ съ звѣрьми “and he was with the wild beasts” (Mc 1, 13).^[2]

Semantic evolution

The canonical texts use it for wild animals in general, for θηρίον and θήρ, and the SNSP notes single, irregular uses for Ancient Greek λύκος (lúkos, “wolf”) and Ancient Greek ἑρπετόν (herpetón, “creeping animal”); the SJS glosses it also as “living creature”.^[2][6] The participle phrase звѣрьми изѣденъ “eaten by beasts” renders θηριάλωτος, as in да не бѫдѫ звѣрьми изѣдена “so that I may not be eaten by beasts” (Supr 515, 30).^[6] The word could also be used as a collective.^[4] SlaVaComp's lexicon of the Old Bulgarian service books also lists it for Ancient Greek ζῷον (zôion, “animal”).^[7]

In later Church Slavonic Dyachenko gives зверь польский for the wild beast of the field, and the beast of Revelation 13 as the Antichrist; he also notes the word for a cruel, inhuman man.^[8] Bulgarian keeps it as звяр.^[9]

Timeline

• 14th century – the Serbian Athonite translation of Gregory of Nyssa and a Middle Bulgarian service book from Athos and Tărnovo use звѣрь for θηρίον.^[7]
• Up to the beginning of the 15th century – a Serbian patristic translation from the Rila monastery uses it for θηρίον.^[7]

Meanings

Noun

1. A wild animal, a beast; for θηρίον, θήρ.^[2][6][1]
2. A living creature; for ἑρπετόν.^[2][6]
3. (later Church Slavonic) The beast of the Apocalypse, the Antichrist.^[8]

Word family

• звѣринъ
• звѣриньнъ

Related words

• Russian зверь (zverʹ)
• Ancient Greek θήρ (thḗr)

Usage notes

Miklosich records rare feminine forms of the word, such as дивиꙗꙗ agreeing with it.^[5]

References

1. ^ a b c d e f Wiktionary, the free dictionary, https://en.wiktionary.org
2. ^ a b c d e Kurz, Josef; Hauptová, Zoe (eds.) (1958–1997), Slovník jazyka staroslověnského / Lexicon linguae palaeoslovenicae, 4 vols. + supplements, Praha: Academia; digital ed. gorazd.org
3. ^ a b c d e Derksen, Rick (2008), Etymological Dictionary of the Slavic Inherited Lexicon, Leiden Indo-European Etymological Dictionary Series 4, Leiden / Boston: Brill, p. 549
4. ^ a b c d e Vasmer, Max (1964–1973), Ètimologičeskij slovar' russkogo jazyka, transl. and suppl. by O. N. Trubačev, 4 vols., Moskva: Progress, p. 2, 87
5. ^ a b Miklosich, Franz (1862–1865), Lexicon palaeoslovenico-graeco-latinum emendatum auctum, Vindobonae: Braumüller
6. ^ 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
7. ^ a b c SlaVaComp Metaglossar Griechisch–Kirchenslavisch, Universität Freiburg, slavistik-portal.de
8. ^ a b D'jačenko, Grigorij (1899), Polnyj cerkovno-slavjanskij slovar', Moskva
9. ^ Georgiev, Vladimir I. et al. (eds.) (1971–), Bălgarski etimologičen rečnik, Sofija: Izdatelstvo na Bălgarskata akademija na naukite, p. 1, 625