Etymology and origin of the Proto-Germanic word *hlūdaz
- Confidence
- Established
- Formation
- Inherited
- Inherited from
- Proto-Indo-European *ḱlutós
Etymology tree
From the same root
Reconstruction
The adjective is *hlūdaz in Wiktionary,[1] *hlūda- in Kroonen and Köbler,[2][3] and *xlūđaz in Orel;[4] Köbler also allows *hlūþa-.[3]
Etymology
Wiktionary has it inherited from Proto-Indo-European *ḱlutós, from *ḱlew- (“to hear; famous”),[1] and Kroonen derives it from the root *kleu- "to listen".[2][5]
Morphology
Bammesberger analyses it as a to-formation to the root.[6] Its long *ū is the difficulty: since the root did not end in a laryngeal, Kroonen thinks the length arose within Germanic, and suggests a vṛddhi gerundive meaning "hearable".[2] Wiktionary calls the origin of the long vowel unclear.[1] EWA sets up Proto-West Germanic *χlūđa- beside a short-vowelled *χluþa- of Proto-Germanic, and explains the West Germanic form as a new full grade *-ū- built to the short form instead of the regular full grade *-eu̯-, as in the verb *lūk-e/a- "to close".[7]
Evidence
The adjective is attested only in West Germanic: Old English hlūd, Old Frisian hlūd, Old Saxon hlūd and Old High German lūt, also spelt hlūt.[2][7] The short form *χluþa- survives only in personal names in Old English, Frankish and German,[7] and Köbler finds it in Gothic names.[8] North Germanic and Gothic have instead the regular full grade *χleu̯đ/þa-: Old Norse hljóðr (“quiet, silent”) and the noun hljóð (“listening, silence, sound”), and Gothic 𐌷𐌻𐌹𐌿𐌸 (hliuþ, “listening”).[7] Orel compares Ancient Greek κλυτός (klutós, “famous”) and Welsh clywed (“heard”).[4]
Competing analyses
Orel sets up *xlūđaz "loud", which stands close to IE *k̂lutós, and, separately, a short *xluđaz "famous", which continues IE *k̂lutó- directly, like Latin inclutus (“famous”), and which he finds only in an Old High German personal name.[4] Köbler treats "loud" and "famous" as senses of one adjective.[3] Bammesberger does not doubt the connection with the root *klew-, but finds the long ū unexpected in a to-formation from the zero grade.[6]
Meanings
Kroonen considers that the adjective may first have meant "hearable".[2] Old High German also used it for "clearly audible" and "known".[7]
Derivatives
- *hlūdą "sound", a substantivisation of the adjective.[11]
- *xlūđjanan in Orel, *hlūdjan in Köbler, "to sound".[4][12]
- *hlūdī- "sound" in Köbler, from Old High German lūtī.[13]
- The names *Hlūdaharjaz and *Hlūdahildiz.[14][15]
Reflexes
- Old English: hlūd (“loud, sounding”)[16]
- Old Frisian: hlūd (“loud”)[17]
- Old Saxon: hlūd (“loud”)[10]
- Old Dutch: lūt-, as the first element of a place name of 1129[7]
- Old High German: lūt (“loud, resounding, clearly audible, known”)[7]
References
- ^ a b c d e Wiktionary, the free dictionary, https://en.wiktionary.org, p. s.v. *hlūdaz
- ^ a b c d e f Kroonen, Guus (2013), Etymological Dictionary of Proto-Germanic, Leiden Indo-European Etymological Dictionary Series 11, Leiden / Boston: Brill, p. 231
- ^ a b c d e Köbler, Gerhard (2014), Germanisches Wörterbuch, 5th ed., online, koeblergerhard.de/wikiling, p. s.v. *hlūda-
- ^ a b c d e Orel, Vladimir (2003), A Handbook of Germanic Etymology, Leiden / Boston: Brill, p. 178
- ^ Kroonen, Guus (2013), Etymological Dictionary of Proto-Germanic, Leiden Indo-European Etymological Dictionary Series 11, Leiden / Boston: Brill, p. 230
- ^ a b Bammesberger, Alfred (1990), Die Morphologie des urgermanischen Nomens, Heidelberg: Winter
- ^ a b c d e f g Lloyd, Albert L.; Springer, Otto; Lühr, Rosemarie, et al. (1988–), Etymologisches Wörterbuch des Althochdeutschen, Göttingen: Vandenhoeck & Ruprecht; online ewa.saw-leipzig.de, p. s.v. lût
- ^ Köbler, Gerhard (2014), Gotisches Wörterbuch, 4th ed., online, koeblergerhard.de/wikiling, p. s.v. *hluþ-
- ^ Köbler, Gerhard (2014), Altenglisches Wörterbuch, 4th ed., online, koeblergerhard.de/wikiling, p. s.v. hlūd
- ^ a b Köbler, Gerhard (2014), Altsächsisches Wörterbuch, 5th ed., online, koeblergerhard.de/wikiling, p. s.v. hlūd
- ^ Wiktionary, the free dictionary, https://en.wiktionary.org, p. s.v. *hlūdą
- ^ Köbler, Gerhard (2014), Germanisches Wörterbuch, 5th ed., online, koeblergerhard.de/wikiling, p. s.v. *hlūdjan
- ^ Köbler, Gerhard (2014), Germanisches Wörterbuch, 5th ed., online, koeblergerhard.de/wikiling, p. s.v. *hlūdī-
- ^ Wiktionary, the free dictionary, https://en.wiktionary.org, p. s.v. *Hlūdaharjaz
- ^ Wiktionary, the free dictionary, https://en.wiktionary.org, p. s.v. *Hlūdahildiz
- ^ Holthausen, Ferdinand (1934), Altenglisches etymologisches Wörterbuch, Heidelberg: Carl Winter, p. s.v. hlūd
- ^ Hofmann, Dietrich; Popkema, Anne Tjerk (2008), Altfriesisches Handwörterbuch, Heidelberg: Carl Winter, p. s.v. hlūd
Related etymologies
- *stainaz · also from Proto-Indo-European
- *beraną · also from Proto-Indo-European
- *fadēr · also from Proto-Indo-European
- *watōr · also from Proto-Indo-European
- *ga- · also from Proto-Indo-European
- *frijaz · also from Proto-Indo-European
- *fallaną · also from Proto-Indo-European
- *standaną · also from Proto-Indo-European
Cite this entry
“*hlūdaz.” Etymologically, 16 Nov. 2026, etymologically.com/gem-pro/*hl%C5%ABdaz. Accessed 16 Nov. 2026.
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