Etymologically

Etymology and origin of the Old Church Slavonic word събьрати

Confidence
Established
Formation
Derivation
First attested
Codex Zographensis and Codex Marianus (Gospels)
Ultimate origin
Proto-Indo-European *bʰer-

Forms

събьрати (sŭbĭrati) pf (1st person singular present съберѫ)[1] The manuscripts also write събърати, събрати and сьбьрати.[1]

Etymology

It is formed from Old Church Slavonic съ- (sŭ-) + бьрати (bĭrati), and ESJS lists it among the derivatives of бьрати “to take, gather”, beside the imperfective събирати and the noun съборъ.[2][3] The simple verb is inherited from Proto-Slavic *bьrati (“to take”), from Proto-Indo-European *bʰer- (“to carry”).[2][4][5] It is thus related to Ancient Greek φέρω (phérō, “to carry”) and Latin ferō (“to carry”).[2][4][3] ESJS explains that the shift from “carry” to “take” took place in Proto-Slavic, probably first in verbs with prefixes meaning “away”.[2]

Earliest recorded meaning

In the Gospel manuscripts it renders Ancient Greek συνάγω (sunágō, “to gather together”) and Ancient Greek συλλέγω (sullégō, “to collect”), as in the parable of the weeds: пьшеницѫ съберѣте въ житьницѫ моѭ “gather the wheat into my barn” (Mt 13, 30, Zographensis and Marianus).[6][1]

Semantic evolution

The SJS gives two main senses.[6] The first is “to gather, collect”, and with сѧ “to assemble”, as in тоу съберѫтъ сѧ орли “there the eagles will gather” (Mt 24, 28).[6] From the assembling against someone comes събьрати сѧ на кого “to conspire against”, as in Ps 2, 2.[6] The second sense is “to take”, “to take away” and “to choose”.[6] It renders a wide range of Greek verbs: συνάγειν, συλλέγειν, ἐπισυνάγειν, ἀθροίζειν, θησαυρίζειν and ἀναλέγεσθαι.[6][1]

Timeline

  • End of the 9th – beginning of the 10th century – it renders συνάγειν in the Euchologium Sinaiticum.[7]
  • 14th century – the Serbian Athonite translation of Gregory of Nyssa uses it for συγκροτέω and συναγείρω.[7]

Meanings

Verb

  1. To gather, to collect; for συνάγειν, συλλέγειν.[6][1]
  2. (reflexive) To assemble, come together; for συνάγεσθαι.[6][1]
  3. (reflexive, with на) To conspire against.[6]
  4. To take, to take away; to choose.[6]

Word family

  • събирати
  • съборъ
  • съборьникъ
  • бьрати
  • избьрати
  • възбьрати
  • прибьрати
  • бремѧ

References

  1. ^ 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
  2. ^ a b c d Havlová, Eva; Erhart, Adolf; Janyšková, Ilona (eds.) (1989–2022), Etymologický slovník jazyka staroslověnského, 21 fascicles, Praha: Academia / Brno: Tribun EU, p. 91
  3. ^ a b Sadnik, Linda; Aitzetmüller, Rudolf (1955), Handwörterbuch zu den altkirchenslavischen Texten, Heidelberg: Winter / 's-Gravenhage: Mouton, p. 214
  4. ^ a b Derksen, Rick (2008), Etymological Dictionary of the Slavic Inherited Lexicon, Leiden Indo-European Etymological Dictionary Series 4, Leiden / Boston: Brill, p. 73
  5. ^ Wiktionary, the free dictionary, https://en.wiktionary.org
  6. ^ 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
  7. ^ a b SlaVaComp Metaglossar Griechisch–Kirchenslavisch, Universität Freiburg, slavistik-portal.de

Related etymologies

  • рещи · also from Proto-Slavic
  • тъ · also from Proto-Slavic
  • иже · also from Proto-Slavic
  • отъ · also from Proto-Slavic
  • на · also from Proto-Slavic
  • не · also from Proto-Slavic
  • въ · also from Proto-Slavic
  • же · also from Proto-Slavic
Cite this entry

“Събьрати.” Etymologically, 25 Oct. 2026, etymologically.com/cu/%D1%81%D1%8A%D0%B1%D1%8C%D1%80%D0%B0%D1%82%D0%B8. Accessed 26 Oct. 2026.

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