свѧтъ

Forms

свѧтъ (svętŭ)^[1]

Etymology

It is inherited from Proto-Slavic *svętъ (“holy, sacred”), from Proto-Balto-Slavic *śwentas, from Proto-Indo-European *ḱwentos, a formation from the root *ḱwen- (“holy”).^[1][2] The same word is Russian святой (svjatój), Ukrainian святий (svjatýj), Bulgarian свят (svjat), Serbo-Croatian svȇt, Slovene svę̑t, Czech svatý, Slovak svätý, Polish święty, Upper Sorbian swjaty, Lower Sorbian swěty and Polabian sjǫtĕ.^[2][3][1]

Its Baltic cognates are Lithuanian šventas and Old Prussian swints; Latvian svę̀ts (“holy, pious”) is a borrowing from Slavic.^[2][3][4] Further related are Avestan spənta- (“holy”) and, according to Vasmer and Sadnik and Aitzetmüller, Latvian svinêt (“to celebrate”).^[2][3][4] Vasmer thinks a link with Gothic 𐌷𐌿𐌽𐍃𐌻 (hunsl, “sacrifice”) uncertain.^[3] The word passed from Slavic into Hungarian szent and Romanian sfânt.^[1][5]

Earliest recorded meaning

In the oldest Gospel manuscripts it renders Ancient Greek ἅγιος (hágios), above all in the name of the Holy Spirit: ꙇже речетъ на д‹оу›хъ с‹вѧ›тꙑ • не отъпоуститъ сѧ емоу "whoever speaks against the Holy Spirit will not be forgiven" (Mt 12:32, Zographensis, Marianus, Assemanianus, Savvina kniga).^[6] Of a man it means "holy, righteous", as in вѣдꙑ мѫжа правьдъна ꙇ ст҃а "knowing him to be a just and holy man" (Mc 6, 20).^[7][6]

Semantic evolution

The SJS orders the senses by what is holy: God and the Trinity, as in the threefold ст҃ъ ст҃ъ ст҃ъ of Isaiah 6, 3 in the Codex Suprasliensis;^[7][6] Christ, the angels and the chosen people; righteous people; the canonized saints, for ἅγιος, μακάριος and ὅσιος (свѧтꙑи антонии in the Suprasliensis); and holy places, things and times, for ἱερός and θεῖος as well.^[7][6] Feasts gave set phrases: свѧтꙑи дьнь "feast day" and свѧтъ вечеръ "vigil".^[7] Used as a noun, the neuter свѧтоѥ is "what is holy" (не дадите ст҃аго псомъ, Mt 7, 6), the plural свѧтаꙗ the Eucharist, in the call ст҃аа ст҃ꙑмъ "holy things to the holy" of the Euchologium Sinaiticum, and both also a sanctuary.^[7] The comparative свѧтѣи is used of the Mother of God, "holier than the cherubim".^[6][7]

The Euchologium Sinaiticum also uses the word for Ancient Greek ἱερός (hierós), Ancient Greek πανάγιος (panágios) and once for Ancient Greek μέγας (mégas, “great”).^[8]

Meanings

Adjective

1. holy, divine, of God and the Trinity; for ἅγιος, θεῖος, πανάγιος.^[7][6][1]
2. Holy, chosen, consecrated to God, of Christ, the angels and God's people; for ἅγιος.^[7]
3. Holy, righteous, of a person; for ἅγιος, ὅσιος, ἁγνός.^[7][6]
4. (of the canonized) saint, blessed; for ἅγιος, μακάριος, ὅσιος.^[7][1]
5. Holy, sacred, of places, things, feasts and times; for ἅγιος, ἱερός, θεῖος.^[7][6]
6. (as a noun) What is holy; in the plural the Eucharist; a sanctuary.^[7]

Word family

• освѧтити
• прѣсвѧтъ
• свѧтило
• свѧтитель
• свѧтити
• свѧтость
• свѧтꙑни
• свѧтьба
• свѧщати
• свѧщение
• свѧщеникъ
• свѧщенъ
• трьсвѧтъ
• освѧщати
• свѧтилище

Related words

• Russian святой (svjatój)
• Lithuanian šventas

References

1. ^ a b c d e f Wiktionary, the free dictionary, https://en.wiktionary.org
2. ^ a b c d Derksen, Rick (2008), Etymological Dictionary of the Slavic Inherited Lexicon, Leiden Indo-European Etymological Dictionary Series 4, Leiden / Boston: Brill, p. 476
3. ^ a b c d Vasmer, Max (1964–1973), Ètimologičeskij slovar' russkogo jazyka, transl. and suppl. by O. N. Trubačev, 4 vols., Moskva: Progress, p. 3, 585
4. ^ a b Sadnik, Linda; Aitzetmüller, Rudolf (1955), Handwörterbuch zu den altkirchenslavischen Texten, Heidelberg: Winter / 's-Gravenhage: Mouton, p. 314
5. ^ Miklosich, Franz (1862–1865), Lexicon palaeoslovenico-graeco-latinum emendatum auctum, Vindobonae: Braumüller
6. ^ 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
7. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l Kurz, Josef; Hauptová, Zoe (eds.) (1958–1997), Slovník jazyka staroslověnského / Lexicon linguae palaeoslovenicae, 4 vols. + supplements, Praha: Academia; digital ed. gorazd.org
8. ^ SlaVaComp Metaglossar Griechisch–Kirchenslavisch, Universität Freiburg, slavistik-portal.de