*meh₁-

Reconstruction

LIV sets up *meh₁- 'to measure'.^[1] Beekes, de Vaan, Kroonen, Matasović and Derksen write *meh₁- too.^{[2][3][4][5][6]}

Morphology

LIV lists an i-reduplicated present *mi-méh₁/mh₁- in Sanskrit मिमाति (mimāti), with a query a sigmatic aorist and an s-desiderative, and a causative *moh₁-éi̯e-; a Slavic present for 'to dare' and the Vedic perfect are innovations.^[1] Latin mētior is a denominative of *méh₁-ti- 'measure'.^[1][3] Beekes explains the short vowel of Ancient Greek μέτρον (métron) from the zero grade *mh₁-tro-, and rules out *méd-tro- from *med-.^[7]

Evidence

Indo-Iranian, Greek, Italic, Celtic, Germanic, Slavic and Albanian attest the root.^[1][2][5][4] LIV doubts that Tocharian B maistär (“measures”) belongs here.^[1]

Competing analyses

Kroonen thinks that at a deeper level *med- gave rise to the synonymous *meh₁-.^[8] The prohibitive particle of Greek μή (mḗ) is a different word, *meh₁.^[9][10] Matasović sets up *meh₁-, *moh₁-ro- 'great' for Celtic, after Pokorny, as a separate root.^[11]

Meanings

1. to measure^[1]

Derivatives

• *méh₁-ti- 'measure': Ancient Greek μῆτις (mêtis), Old English mæð (“measure”).^[2][8]
• *mh₁-tro-: Ancient Greek μέτρον (métron, “measure”).^[7]
• *meh₁-lo-: Gothic 𐌼𐌴𐌻 (mel, “time, hour”).^[3]
• *meh₁-reh₂-: Old Church Slavonic мѣра (měra, “measure”).^[4]
• *mh₁-nt-: Old Irish méit (“greatness, magnitude”).^[5]

Reflexes

• Indo-Aryan: Sanskrit मिमाति (mimāti, “measures”).^[12]
• Greek: Ancient Greek μῆτις (mêtis, “wisdom, skill”).^[2]
• Italic: Latin mētior (“to measure”).^[3]
• Celtic: Old Irish méit (“greatness, magnitude”).^[5]
• Germanic: Old English mæð (“measure”).^[8]
• Slavic: Old Church Slavonic мѣра (měra, “measure”).^[6]
• Albanian: Albanian mat (“to measure”), a denominative, as cited by LIV.^[1]

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. *meh₁-
2. ^ 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. μῆτις
3. ^ a b c d 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. mētior
4. ^ a b c Kroonen, Guus (2013), Etymological Dictionary of Proto-Germanic, Leiden Indo-European Etymological Dictionary Series 11, Leiden / Boston: Brill, p. 362
5. ^ a b c d Matasović, Ranko (2009), Etymological Dictionary of Proto-Celtic, Leiden: Brill, p. 265
6. ^ a b Derksen, Rick (2008), Etymological Dictionary of the Slavic Inherited Lexicon, Leiden Indo-European Etymological Dictionary Series 4, Leiden / Boston: Brill, p. 312
7. ^ 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. μέτρον
8. ^ a b c Kroonen, Guus (2013), Etymological Dictionary of Proto-Germanic, Leiden Indo-European Etymological Dictionary Series 11, Leiden / Boston: Brill, p. 367
9. ^ 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. μή
10. ^ Beekes, Robert S. P. (2011), Comparative Indo-European Linguistics: An Introduction, 2nd ed., revised by Michiel de Vaan, Amsterdam: Benjamins, p. 248
11. ^ Matasović, Ranko (2009), Etymological Dictionary of Proto-Celtic, Leiden: Brill, p. 267
12. ^ Mayrhofer, Manfred (1956–1980), Kurzgefasstes etymologisches Wörterbuch des Altindischen, Heidelberg: Winter, p. 638