*ḱley-

Reconstruction

The root is *k̑lei̯- 'to lean on' in LIV,^[1] *ḱlei̯- or *ḱlei- in de Vaan and Beekes,^[2][3] *k̂lei- in Mallory and Adams,^[4] and *klei- in Kroonen and Derksen.^[5][6]

Morphology

LIV reconstructs a root aorist *k̑léi̯-/k̑li-, a nasal-infix present *k̑l̥-né/n-i̯-, a thematic present *k̑léi̯-e-, a perfect *k̑e-k̑lói̯/k̑li- and a causative *k̑loi̯-éi̯e-.^[1] The aorist is continued by Vedic and Avestan forms and by Latin cliēns (“client”), originally 'one who has leaned'.^[1] De Vaan reconstructs cliēns as *ḱli-ent- 'who leans'.^[7]

The nasal present usually introduced the zero grade *k̑li- and was often rebuilt as *k̑li-néH-.^[1] Rasmussen takes this form as already Proto-Indo-European, Praust argues against.^[1] Beekes explains Ancient Greek κλίνω (klī́nō) from *klin-je/o-, a Greek innovation on the older nasal present, which in Latin and Germanic spread through the whole verb but did not reach the Greek perfect.^[3] Indo-Iranian and Baltic have the thematic root present instead.^[3] Kroonen explains Proto-Germanic *hlinēn- (“to lean”) as a stative built on an old nasal present *kli-neh₂- or *kli-neu-.^[5]

Evidence

The root is cited below from Indo-Iranian, Greek, Italic, Celtic, Germanic, Baltic, Albanian and Tocharian.^[1][8] The Albanian and Tocharian links are disputed.^[1][9][10] LIV takes the Gheg participle meaning 'slept' from the aorist and Albanian fle (“to sleep”) from the causative;^[1] Kümmel separates the Albanian aorist, which he gives to *peth₂-, but keeps fle.^[9] LIV derives Tocharian B kaltär (“stands”) from the thematic present by metathesis, after Ringe;^[1] Adams instead derives the Tocharian verb from *kl̥h₁-ye/o- and not from *klei-.^[10] No Anatolian form is cited.^[1]

Competing analyses

Kroonen takes *klei- to be an old i-present of the root *kel-.^[5]

Meanings

1. to lean on, to lean^[1][3]

LIV follows Gotō in taking the original meaning as fientive, 'to come to lean'.^[1] Matasović suggests that the root first meant 'bow-shaped' or 'sloping', comparing Latin clīvus (“slope, hill”).^[8] Albanian 'to sleep' and Tocharian 'to stand' are later developments, if those words belong here.^[1]

Derivatives

• The to-participle *ḱli-tó-: Sanskrit श्रित (śritá, “leaning”), Avestan srita (“leaning”).^[3]
• Ancient Greek κλίσις (klísis) matches Lithuanian šlitìs (“shove-shed”), and the full grade of Ancient Greek κλειτύς (kleitús, “slope”) recurs in Old Norse hlíð (“slope”).^[3]
• *ḱloi-uo- or *ḱlei-u̯o-: Latin clīvus (“slope, hill”), Gothic 𐌷𐌻𐌰𐌹𐍅 (hlaiw, “grave”).^[11][12]
• Proto-Celtic *klēyo- (“left”) and Proto-Celtic *klit- (“pillar, post”), from *ḱley-t-.^[8][13]
• Lithuanian kleivas (“bow-legged”), from *kloi-uo-.^[6]

Reflexes

• Indo-Iranian: Avestan sraiiata (“leaned”), in LIV's list.^[1]
• Greek: Ancient Greek κλίνω (klī́nō, “to make lean, to bend”).^[3]
• Italic: Latin dēclīnō (“to deflect, divert”).^[2]
• Celtic: Old Irish clé (“left”).^[8]
• Germanic: Proto-Germanic *hlinēn- (“to lean”), Old English hlinian, Old High German hlinēn.^[5]
• Baltic: Lithuanian šlíeti (“to lean, rest against”).^[14][7]
• Albanian: Albanian fle (“to sleep”), after LIV and Kümmel.^[1][9]
• Tocharian: Tocharian B kaltär (“stands”), after LIV and disputed by Adams.^[1][10]

References

1. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p Rix, Helmut, et al. (2001), Lexikon der indogermanischen Verben, 2nd ed., Wiesbaden: Reichert, p. s.v. *k̑lei̯-
2. ^ a b 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. -clīnō
3. ^ a b c d e f g 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. κλίνω
4. ^ Mallory, J. P.; Adams, D. Q. (2006), The Oxford Introduction to Proto-Indo-European and the Proto-Indo-European World, Oxford: OUP, p. 295
5. ^ a b c d Kroonen, Guus (2013), Etymological Dictionary of Proto-Germanic, Leiden Indo-European Etymological Dictionary Series 11, Leiden / Boston: Brill, p. 231
6. ^ a b Derksen, Rick (2015), Etymological Dictionary of the Baltic Inherited Lexicon, Leiden: Brill, p. 264
7. ^ a b 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. cliēns
8. ^ a b c d Matasović, Ranko (2009), Etymological Dictionary of Proto-Celtic, Leiden: Brill, p. 214
9. ^ a b c Kümmel, Martin Joachim, Addenda und Corrigenda zu LIV², online document, last change 16 June 2026, p. 51
10. ^ a b c Adams, Douglas Q. (2013), A Dictionary of Tocharian B, 2nd ed., Amsterdam: Rodopi, p. 184
11. ^ 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. clīvus
12. ^ Kroonen, Guus (2013), Etymological Dictionary of Proto-Germanic, Leiden Indo-European Etymological Dictionary Series 11, Leiden / Boston: Brill, p. 228
13. ^ Matasović, Ranko (2009), Etymological Dictionary of Proto-Celtic, Leiden: Brill, p. 215
14. ^ Derksen, Rick (2015), Etymological Dictionary of the Baltic Inherited Lexicon, Leiden: Brill, p. 466