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*peth₂-

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Etymology and origin of the Proto-Indo-European word *peth₂-

*peth₂-1 to spread out

Confidence
Established

Reconstruction

LIV sets up 1.*peth₂- "to spread out".[1] Kümmel renames it *(s)peth₂-, with s-mobile because of Latin spatium (“space”), after Schumacher and Matzinger.[2] De Vaan finds spatium hard to connect with Latin pateō, since the root shows no variants with s-mobile.[3] Beekes finds *p(e)th₂- in the Greek forms.[4] Following Harðarson, LIV considers the root originally identical with 2.*peth₂- "to fly", from "to spread the wings".[1]

Morphology

LIV's formations are a root aorist *péth₂-/pth₂- behind Ancient Greek ἐπέτασ(σ)α (epétas(s)a, “spread out, opened”), a nasal-infix present *pt-né/n̥-h₂- in Ancient Greek πίτνημι (pítnēmi, “I spread out, I open”), Latin pandō (“to spread out, to open”) and Oscan patensíns (“they might open”), and an essive *pth₂-h₁i̯é- in Latin pateō (“to stand open, to extend”).[1] The nu-present and the perfect of the Greek verb are innovations.[1] Kümmel adds an aorist in Albanian fjet- (“slept”), from a middle "spread oneself out" that later became active.[2] De Vaan derives the Latin nasal verb from the PIE nasal present and takes the full grade of the stative as secondary.[5]

Evidence

Greek, Italic, Celtic, Germanic and, with Kümmel, Albanian are cited under Reflexes; no Anatolian or Indo-Iranian verb is listed.[1][2][6][7]

Competing analyses

Kloekhorst holds that the two roots *peth₂- "to spread out" and "to fly" probably have to be equated.[8]

Meanings

  1. to spread out[1]

Greek and Latin also have "to open, to be open".[1] Matasović glosses the root "to spread out, to broaden" and compares Latin passum (“step”) for the Celtic word for "footprint".[6]

Derivatives

  • Proto-Germanic *faþma- (“fathom”), from *pot(h₂)-mo-, a Germanic–Celtic formation usually derived from this root.[7]
  • Proto-Celtic *fanssā (“footprint”), from a nasal-present stem like that of Latin pandō.[6]
  • Ancient Greek πέταλον (pétalon, “leaf”), with an l-suffix also found in Old High German fedel-gold (“gold leaf”).[4]

Reflexes

  • Greek: Ancient Greek πετάννυμι (petánnumi, “to spread out”), Ancient Greek πίτνημι (pítnēmi, “to spread out”).[4]
  • Italic: Latin pandō (“to spread out”), Oscan patensíns (“they might open”).[5]
  • Germanic: Old Norse faðmr (“fathom”), Old English fæðm (“fathom; bosom”).[7]
  • Celtic: Old Irish és (“track, trace”).[6]
  • Albanian, after Kümmel: Albanian fjet- (“slept”).[2]

*peth₂-2 to fly

Confidence
Probable

Reconstruction

LIV sets up 2.*peth₂- "to fly up, to take off".[9] Beekes notes that the Greek root aorist requires *peth₂-, while most cognates elsewhere can or should be explained from *pet-, and Hackstein argues for *pet- in Greek as well.[10] Matasović finds no evidence for a laryngeal in Celtic.[11] Kloekhorst reconstructs the Hittite verb as *ptH-ói-ei, *ptH-i-énti.[8]

Morphology

LIV's formations are a root aorist *péth₂-/pth₂- in Ancient Greek ἔπτατο (éptato, “flew up”) and perhaps Old Armenian ընթացաւ (əntʽacʽaw, “ran”), perhaps a nasal-infix present in Old Armenian ընթանամ (əntʽanam, “I run”), a full-grade e-present *péth₂-e- in the Greek present, Latin petō (“to seek to reach, to hasten, to ask”) and Middle Welsh eh-ed- (“to fly”), and iteratives *poth₂-éi̯e- in Ancient Greek ποτάομαι (potáomai, “I fly to and fro”) and *pṓth₂-i̯e- in Ancient Greek πωτάομαι (pōtáomai, “I fly about”).[9]

Evidence

Greek, Italic, Celtic and Armenian are in LIV's list, and Beekes adds Hittite pattai- and Indo-Iranian among the cognates.[9][10]

Competing analyses

LIV notes that Latin petō could formally belong to *peth₁- "to fall", though "to fly" fits its meaning better.[9] De Vaan adds that a thematized *pet- would also give the Latin present.[12]

Meanings

  1. to fly up, to take off[9]

De Vaan explains Latin petō by a shift from "to fly" through "to fly up towards" to "to make for, to try to get".[12]

Derivatives

  • Heteroclitic *péth₂-r/n- "feather, wing": Hittite pattar (“feather, wing”), Sanskrit पत्र (pátra-, “wing, feather”), Latin penna (“feather”), Proto-Germanic *feþrō- (“feather”).[13]
  • Proto-Celtic *fet-no- (“bird”).[11]

Reflexes

  • Anatolian: Hittite pattai- (“to run, to fly, to flee”).[8][10]
  • Greek: Ancient Greek πέτομαι (pétomai, “to fly”).[10]
  • Italic: Latin petō (“to make for, to reach”).[12]
  • Celtic: Middle Welsh ehedec (“to fly”).[11]
  • Armenian, after LIV: Old Armenian ընթանամ (əntʽanam, “I run”).[9]

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. 1.*peth₂-
  2. ^ a b c d Kümmel, Martin Joachim, Addenda und Corrigenda zu LIV², online document, last change 16 June 2026, p. 84
  3. ^ 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. spatium
  4. ^ a b c 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. πετάννυμι
  5. ^ 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. pandō
  6. ^ a b c d Matasović, Ranko (2009), Etymological Dictionary of Proto-Celtic, Leiden: Brill, p. 124
  7. ^ a b c Kroonen, Guus (2013), Etymological Dictionary of Proto-Germanic, Leiden Indo-European Etymological Dictionary Series 11, Leiden / Boston: Brill, p. 132
  8. ^ a b c Kloekhorst, Alwin (2008), Etymological Dictionary of the Hittite Inherited Lexicon, Leiden: Brill, p. 655
  9. ^ a b c d e f Rix, Helmut, et al. (2001), Lexikon der indogermanischen Verben, 2nd ed., Wiesbaden: Reichert, p. s.v. 2.*peth₂-
  10. ^ 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. πέτομαι
  11. ^ a b c Matasović, Ranko (2009), Etymological Dictionary of Proto-Celtic, Leiden: Brill, p. 132
  12. ^ 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. petō
  13. ^ Kroonen, Guus (2013), Etymological Dictionary of Proto-Germanic, Leiden Indo-European Etymological Dictionary Series 11, Leiden / Boston: Brill, p. 138
Cite this entry

“*peth₂-.” Etymologically, 7 Nov. 2026, etymologically.com/ine-pro/*peth%E2%82%82-. Accessed 8 Nov. 2026.

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