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*h₁em-

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Etymology and origin of the Proto-Indo-European word *h₁em-

Confidence
Established

Reconstruction

LIV sets up *h₁em- 'to take'.[1] De Vaan reconstructs a present *h₁em-e/o- and a perfect *h₁e-h₁m-.[2] The Balto-Slavic verb continues the zero grade *h₁m-.[2][3]

Morphology

LIV lists a root aorist *h₁ém-/h₁m-, a full-grade present *h₁ém-e- in Latin emō, and a perfect *h₁e-h₁óm/h₁m-, continued by the Latin perfect.[1] The s-aorist, the na-present of Tocharian and the zero-grade present of Baltic and Slavic are innovations.[1] De Vaan takes the particle Latin em from an imperative *eme 'take!'.[2]

Evidence

Italic, Celtic, Baltic and Slavic attest the root.[1][4] Mallory and Adams class it as a North-Western regional term.[4]

Competing analyses

LIV puts Hittite wemiya- (“to find”) here with a query, as *ū-em-.[1] Kloekhorst finds this unappealing in meaning and form.[5] LIV also cites Tocharian B yäm- (“to achieve, obtain”), but Adams derives it from *yem- and finds Jasanoff's link with Latin emō possible but less likely.[1][6]

Meanings

  1. to take[1][2]

Mallory and Adams gloss it 'take, distribute'.[4] In Latin emō also came to mean 'to buy'.[2]

Reflexes

  • Italic: Latin emō (“to take, buy”).[2]
  • Celtic: Old Irish ar·foím (“to receive, allow”).[2][7]
  • Baltic: Lithuanian im̃ti (“to take”), Latvian jemt (“to take”).[3]
  • Slavic: Old Church Slavonic ѩти (jęti, “to take”).[3]

References

  1. ^ a b c d e f g Rix, Helmut, et al. (2001), Lexikon der indogermanischen Verben, 2nd ed., Wiesbaden: Reichert, p. s.v. *h₁em-
  2. ^ a b c d e f g 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. emō
  3. ^ a b c Derksen, Rick (2015), Etymological Dictionary of the Baltic Inherited Lexicon, Leiden: Brill, p. 214
  4. ^ a b c Mallory, J. P.; Adams, D. Q. (2006), The Oxford Introduction to Proto-Indo-European and the Proto-Indo-European World, Oxford: OUP, p. 272
  5. ^ Kloekhorst, Alwin (2008), Etymological Dictionary of the Hittite Inherited Lexicon, Leiden: Brill, p. 998
  6. ^ Adams, Douglas Q. (2013), A Dictionary of Tocharian B, 2nd ed., Amsterdam: Rodopi, p. 538
  7. ^ Matasović, Ranko (2009), Etymological Dictionary of Proto-Celtic, Leiden: Brill, p. 117
Cite this entry

“*h₁em-.” Etymologically, 7 Nov. 2026, etymologically.com/ine-pro/*h%E2%82%81em-. Accessed 8 Nov. 2026.

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