Etymologically
Log in

нꙑнѣ

This is the current revision of this entry, as edited by bogdan on 25 October 2026 at 03:52. This address is a permanent link to this version.
Changes in this edit History

Forms

нꙑнѣ (nyně)[1] Variants: нꙑнꙗ, the usual form of the Savvina kniga and the Codex Suprasliensis, and once нънѣ in the Codex Assemanianus.[2][3]

Etymology

It is inherited from Proto-Slavic *nyně (“now”), beside a form with a reduced root vowel, *nъně.[2][4][1] The same word is Russian ныне (nyne), Ukrainian нині (nyni), Bulgarian нине (nine), Czech nyní and the obsolete Polish ninie, and the reduced form survives in the Russian dialect word ноне (none).[2][4][5]

In the traditional explanation, which ESJS follows with Miklosich, Sadnik and Vasmer, the adverb is a fossilised form of an Indo-European adjective Proto-Indo-European *nū-no- (“present, of now”), derived from the particle *nu (“now”).[2][1] Adverbs built on the same particle with a nasal suffix are Sanskrit नूनम् (nūnám), Ancient Greek νῦν (nûn), Latin nunc and Lithuanian nūnaĩ, all meaning now.[2][5][6] Derksen reconstructs Proto-Balto-Slavic *nūnoi and compares the bare particle in Sanskrit नु (nú) and Gothic 𐌽𐌿 (nu, “now”);[4] Sadnik thinks the word is ultimately related to нъ.[6]

ESJS points out that the genetic link between these adverbs is uncertain: Zubatý and Šaur took them as parallel formations of the separate languages, related only at the level of the particle.[2] Vasmer also records the attempt to connect them with Sanskrit नवीन (navī́na, “new”) and Old Prussian nauns (“new”).[5]

Earliest recorded meaning

In the Gospel codices it renders Ancient Greek νῦν (nûn) and ἄρτι (árti), as in слѣпъ бѣхъ • нꙑн҄ѣ же виждѫ “I was blind, but now I see” (J 9, 25 Zogr Mar As).[3][7] The Greek–OCS index of the SJS gives it for ἄρτι in the Zographensis, Marianus, Assemanianus, Savvina kniga and Ostromir Gospel.[7]

Semantic evolution

Besides “now” the canonical texts use it for “just now, a moment ago”, as in дъшти моѣ нꙑнѣ оумьрѣтъ “my daughter has just died” (Mt 9, 18 Mar Sav Ostr), for ἄρτι and ἀρτίως.[7][3] With the particles же and оубо or after и its temporal sense weakens to “but now, now then”, translating νῦν δέ, νῦν οὖν and καὶ νῦν;[7] волѥ нꙑнѣ renders ἄγε νῦν “come now” in the Epistle of James (Ja 4, 13 Christ Šiš).[7] The phrases до нꙑнѣ “until now” and отъ нꙑнѣ “from now on” render ἕως τοῦ νῦν and ἀπὸ τοῦ νῦν,[3] and the doxology нꙑнѣ и присно и вь вѣкꙑ вѣкомъ “now and ever and unto the ages of ages” is already in the Codex Suprasliensis (Supr 54, 2).[7] Its derivative нꙑнѣшьнь means “present, of today”, and нꙑнѣшьнии вѣкъ is this world.[2]

Later Church Slavonic kept the word: Giltebrandt lists it for νῦν and ἄρτι in the New Testament, from нн҃ѣ ѿпꙋща́еши раба̀ твоего̀, влⷣко “now lettest thou thy servant depart, Master” (Lk 2, 29) on, with the compound ѿны́нѣ.[8] From Church Slavonic it passed into older Serbo-Croatian as nine “now”.[2]

Timeline

  • End of the 9th – beginning of the 10th century – нꙑнѣ renders νῦν and ἄρτι in the Slavonic euchologion translation.[9]
  • 14th century – the Serbian Athonite translation of Gregory of Nyssa uses it for ἄρτι.[9]
  • 1882–1885 – Giltebrandt lists every New Testament use of the word in Church Slavonic.[8]

Meanings

Adverb

  1. now, at present, at this time; for νῦν.[7][3][1]
  2. Just now, a moment ago, just; for ἄρτι, ἀρτίως.[7][3]
  3. With же, оубо or и: but now, now then, and so; for νῦν δέ, νῦν οὖν, καὶ νῦν.[7]
  4. до нꙑнѣ until now;[3] отъ нꙑнѣ from now on, henceforth.[3]

Word family

  • нꙑнѣшьнь
  • нꙑнѣчоу
  • отънꙑнѣ
  • нъ
  • Russian ныне (nyne)

References

  1. ^ a b c d Wiktionary, the free dictionary, https://en.wiktionary.org
  2. ^ 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. 556
  3. ^ a b c d e f g h 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
  4. ^ a b c Derksen, Rick (2008), Etymological Dictionary of the Slavic Inherited Lexicon, Leiden Indo-European Etymological Dictionary Series 4, Leiden / Boston: Brill
  5. ^ a b c Vasmer, Max (1964–1973), Ètimologičeskij slovar' russkogo jazyka, transl. and suppl. by O. N. Trubačev, 4 vols., Moskva: Progress, p. 3, 91
  6. ^ a b Sadnik, Linda; Aitzetmüller, Rudolf (1955), Handwörterbuch zu den altkirchenslavischen Texten, Heidelberg: Winter / 's-Gravenhage: Mouton, p. 276
  7. ^ a b c d e f g h i Kurz, Josef; Hauptová, Zoe (eds.) (1958–1997), Slovník jazyka staroslověnského / Lexicon linguae palaeoslovenicae, 4 vols. + supplements, Praha: Academia; digital ed. gorazd.org
  8. ^ a b Gil'tebrandt, P. A. (1882–1885), Spravočnyj i ob''jasnitel'nyj slovar' k Novomu Zavetu, 6 vols., Sankt-Peterburg
  9. ^ a b SlaVaComp Metaglossar Griechisch–Kirchenslavisch, Universität Freiburg, slavistik-portal.de