оумьрѣти

Forms

оумьрѣти (umĭrěti) pf^[1] Also оумрѣти (umrěti), the head form of the SJS and of Sadnik–Aitzetmüller.^[2][3] The manuscripts write the stem as оумър-, оумр- and оумер-.^[4]

Etymology

It is from Old Church Slavonic оу- (u-) + мрѣти (mrěti, “to die”).^[1][5] The simple verb continues Proto-Slavic *merti (“to die”), with the present *mьrǫ, which keeps the original vowel grade of the Indo-European root.^[6][7][1] The same verb is Russian мереть (merétʹ), Bulgarian мра (mra), Serbo-Croatian mrijèti, Slovene mrẹ́ti, Czech mřít and Polish mrzeć.^[6][7][8]

It goes back to Proto-Balto-Slavic *mertéi and the root Proto-Indo-European *mer- (“to die”), which is also in Lithuanian mirti (“to die”), Latvian mirt (“to die”) and Latin morior (“to die”).^[1][6][5][8] The same root gives мрьтвъ, dead, съмрьть, death, and моръ, pestilence.^[5][8]

Earliest recorded meaning

The Gospel manuscripts use the verb for Ancient Greek ἀποθνῄσκω (apothnḗiskō, “to die”): не оумрѣтъ бо дѣвица нъ съпитъ “for the girl is not dead but asleep” (Mt 9, 24 Zogr As Sav), where the Codex Marianus writes оумьрѣтъ.^[2][4]

Semantic evolution

The verb also renders Ancient Greek τελευτάω (teleutáō), Ancient Greek κοιμάομαι (koimáomai, “to fall asleep”) and the phrase βίον μεταλλάσσειν, “to depart this life”.^[2][4] Its past active participle оумьръ means “dead, deceased”, as in видѣшѧ і юже оумьръшь “they saw that he was already dead” (J 19, 33), and also “mortal”, for θνητός.^[2] In the text the SJS cites as Bes a present participle means “dying”.^[2] The imperfective counterpart is оумирати, and оумрѣти съ кѣмь renders συναποθνῄσκειν.^[2][4]

Meanings

Verb

1. To die, to pass away, to perish; for ἀποθνῄσκειν, τελευτᾶν, κοιμᾶσθαι.^[2][4][1]
2. (past participle) dead, deceased; for τεθνηκώς.^[2]
3. (past participle) mortal; for θνητός.^[2]

Related words

• мрѣти
• оумирати
• мрьтвъ
• съмрьть

Usage notes

The SJS and Sadnik–Aitzetmüller head the verb оумрѣти, the SNSP gives both spellings, and Swan lists оумьрѣти as a variant.^[2][3][4][9] Vasmer, citing Vondrák and Diels, considers the infinitives оумьрѣти and измьрѣти that Trautmann gives incorrect.^[8]

References

1. ^ a b c d e Wiktionary, the free dictionary, https://en.wiktionary.org
2. ^ a b c d e f g h i j 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 Sadnik, Linda; Aitzetmüller, Rudolf (1955), Handwörterbuch zu den altkirchenslavischen Texten, Heidelberg: Winter / 's-Gravenhage: Mouton
4. ^ a b c d e f 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
5. ^ a b c Sadnik, Linda; Aitzetmüller, Rudolf (1955), Handwörterbuch zu den altkirchenslavischen Texten, Heidelberg: Winter / 's-Gravenhage: Mouton, p. 266
6. ^ a b c Derksen, Rick (2008), Etymological Dictionary of the Slavic Inherited Lexicon, Leiden Indo-European Etymological Dictionary Series 4, Leiden / Boston: Brill, p. 308
7. ^ a b Trubačev, Oleg N.; Žuravlev, Anatolij F.; Varbot, Žanna Ž. (eds.) (1974–2021), Ètimologičeskij slovar' slavjanskix jazykov: praslavjanskij leksičeskij fond, vols. 1–42, Moskva: Nauka, p. 18, 101
8. ^ a b c d Vasmer, Max (1964–1973), Ètimologičeskij slovar' russkogo jazyka, transl. and suppl. by O. N. Trubačev, 4 vols., Moskva: Progress, p. 2, 602
9. ^ Swan, Oscar E. (2008), Old Church Slavic Glossary, Pittsburgh: University of Pittsburgh; digital ed. with N. H. Reimer, Old Church Slavonic Dictionary