*ḱlew-

Reconstruction

The root is *k̑leu̯- 'to hear' in LIV and NIL,^[1][2] *ḱlew- in Ringe,^[3] *ḱl(é)u- in de Vaan,^[4] *ḱleu- in Beekes^[5] and *klew- in Matasović.^[6] LIV derives from it the extended root *k̑leu̯s- 'to listen', probably first a desiderative.^[1]

Morphology

LIV reconstructs a root aorist *k̑léu̯-/k̑lu-, in Ancient Greek κλῦτε (klûte, “hear!”), the Greek aorist being otherwise thematic; a zero-grade stative *k̑lu-, doubtfully, in Latin clueō; a nasal-infix present *k̑l̥-né/n-u̯-, in Avestan surunaoiti (“hears”), Old Irish ro-cluinethar (“hears”) and Tocharian B kalneṃ (“resound”); a perfect *k̑e-k̑lóu̯/k̑lu-; a causative *k̑lou̯-éi̯e-; and an s-desiderative *k̑léu̯/k̑lu-s-.^[1] Kümmel adds a reduplicated desiderative *k̑i-k̑lu-sé- and Old Albanian kluon (“is called; names”), and strikes the ke-present that LIV cited from Armenian, which he gives to *k̑leu̯s-.^[7] He also finds that Iranian has only *srun(a)u- for the nasal present.^[7]

Beekes explains the Greek present κλύω as an innovation from the thematic aorist, which Greek and Sanskrit both built on an older athematic aorist preserved in the Homeric imperative.^[5] Matasović derives Old Irish ro-cluinethar from a Proto-Celtic stem *kli-nu-, reshaped by transposition in Primitive Irish.^[6]

Evidence

The root is cited below from Indo-Iranian, Greek, Italic, Celtic, Germanic, Balto-Slavic, Albanian and Tocharian;^[1][2] Armenian also continues it according to Martirosyan.^[8][9] Messapic has a form meaning 'hear!'.^[10] No Anatolian form is cited.^[1]

Meanings

1. to hear^[1][2][5]

LIV notes after Gotō that the root was used especially of hearing, and understanding, speech.^[1] In Latin, Latvian and Slavic the verb came to mean 'to be called, to be known, to be famous', and the nasal present means 'to resound' in Tocharian.^[1]

Derivatives

• The s-stem *k̑léu̯-es- 'fame': Sanskrit श्रवस् (śrávas, “fame”), Ancient Greek κλέος (kléos, “fame”), Old Irish clú (“fame”), Old Church Slavonic слово (slovo, “word”).^[2][11] Beekes compares the Greek formula 'imperishable fame' with its Vedic match.^[11]
• The to-participle *k̑lu-tó-: Sanskrit श्रुत (śrutá, “heard”), Ancient Greek κλυτός (klutós, “famous”), Latin inclutus (“famous”), Old Irish cloth (“fame”).^[2][4]
• *k̑leu̯-mn̥-to-: Old High German hliumunt (“reputation”).^[2][12]
• *k̑lōu̯-ah₂-: Old Church Slavonic слава (slava, “glory, fame”).^[2][13]
• *kléu-mon-: Gothic 𐌷𐌻𐌹𐌿𐌼𐌰 (hliuma, “hearing”);^[14] Tocharian B klyomo (“noble”) from *kleumon-.^[15]

Reflexes

• Indo-Iranian: Sanskrit श्रवस् (śrávas, “fame”), Avestan surunaoiti (“hears”), in NIL's and LIV's lists.^[2][1]
• Greek: Ancient Greek κλύω (klúō, “to hear”).^[5]
• Italic: Latin clueō (“to be known”).^[4]
• Celtic: Old Irish ro-cluinethar (“hears”).^[6]
• Germanic: Proto-Germanic *hleuman- (“hearing”), Proto-Germanic *hleuþa- (“listening”).^[14]
• Slavic: Old Church Slavonic слоути (sluti, “to be called”).^[16]
• Baltic: Latvian sluvêt (“to become known”), in LIV's list.^[1]
• Albanian: Albanian quhet (“is called”), in LIV's list.^[1]
• Tocharian: Tocharian B klautso (“ear”).^[17]

References

1. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k Rix, Helmut, et al. (2001), Lexikon der indogermanischen Verben, 2nd ed., Wiesbaden: Reichert, p. s.v. *k̑leu̯-
2. ^ a b c d e f g h Wodtko, Dagmar S.; Irslinger, Britta; Schneider, Carolin (2008), Nomina im indogermanischen Lexikon, Heidelberg: Winter, p. s.v. *k̑leu̯-
3. ^ Ringe, Don (2017), From Proto-Indo-European to Proto-Germanic, 2nd ed., Oxford: Oxford University Press, p. 85
4. ^ a b c de Vaan, Michiel (2008), Etymological Dictionary of Latin and the other Italic Languages, Leiden Indo-European Etymological Dictionary Series 7, Leiden; Boston: Brill, p. s.v. clueō
5. ^ a b c d Beekes, Robert S. P. (2010), Etymological Dictionary of Greek, with the assistance of Lucien van Beek, Leiden Indo-European Etymological Dictionary Series 10, Leiden; Boston: Brill, p. s.v. κλύω
6. ^ a b c Matasović, Ranko (2009), Etymological Dictionary of Proto-Celtic, Leiden: Brill, p. 215
7. ^ a b Kümmel, Martin Joachim, Addenda und Corrigenda zu LIV², online document, last change 16 June 2026, p. 51
8. ^ Martirosyan, Hrach K. (2010), Etymological Dictionary of the Armenian Inherited Lexicon, Leiden: Brill, p. 327
9. ^ Martirosyan, Hrach K. (2010), Etymological Dictionary of the Armenian Inherited Lexicon, Leiden: Brill, p. 329
10. ^ Klein, Jared; Joseph, Brian; Fritz, Matthias, eds. (2017–2018), Handbook of Comparative and Historical Indo-European Linguistics, 3 vols (HSK 41), Berlin: De Gruyter Mouton, p. 1845
11. ^ a b Beekes, Robert S. P. (2010), Etymological Dictionary of Greek, with the assistance of Lucien van Beek, Leiden Indo-European Etymological Dictionary Series 10, Leiden; Boston: Brill, p. s.v. κλέος
12. ^ Weiss, Michael (2020), Outline of the Historical and Comparative Grammar of Latin, 2nd ed., Ann Arbor: Beech Stave, p. 334
13. ^ Derksen, Rick (2008), Etymological Dictionary of the Slavic Inherited Lexicon, Leiden Indo-European Etymological Dictionary Series 4, Leiden / Boston: Brill, p. 453
14. ^ a b Kroonen, Guus (2013), Etymological Dictionary of Proto-Germanic, Leiden Indo-European Etymological Dictionary Series 11, Leiden / Boston: Brill, p. 230
15. ^ Adams, Douglas Q. (2013), A Dictionary of Tocharian B, 2nd ed., Amsterdam: Rodopi, p. 250
16. ^ Derksen, Rick (2008), Etymological Dictionary of the Slavic Inherited Lexicon, Leiden Indo-European Etymological Dictionary Series 4, Leiden / Boston: Brill, p. 455
17. ^ Adams, Douglas Q. (2013), A Dictionary of Tocharian B, 2nd ed., Amsterdam: Rodopi, p. 249