Reconstruction:Proto-Indo-European/wr̥mis

This Proto-Indo-European entry contains reconstructed terms and roots. As such, the term(s) in this entry are not directly attested, but are hypothesized to have existed based on comparative evidence.

Proto-Indo-European

Etymology

Possibly from the root *wer- (“to turn, to bend”). Alternatively, a mutation of the synonymous *kʷr̥mis. Ancient Greek ὅρμικας pl (hórmikas, “ants”), Tocharian B warme (“ant”) and Sanskrit वम्र (vamrá, “ant”), traditionally linked to *morwi- (“ant”), may however point to a distinct root *worm-, which could be the source of *wr̥mis. (Can this⁽⁺⁾ etymology be sourced?)

Noun

*wr̥mis

1. worm

   Synonym: *kʷr̥mis

2. an animal resembling a worm, especially: insect larva

Reconstruction notes

Several descendants appear to have been reshaped irregularly by a process such as taboo or analogy; compare the similar problems of *morwi- and *plúsis.

Inflection

Most likely originally *wórm- in the strong stem:

Athematic, proterokinetic
	singular
nominative	*wórmis
genitive	*wr̥méys
	singular	dual	plural
nominative	*wórmis	*wórmih₁(e)	*wórmeyes
vocative	*wórmi	*wórmih₁(e)	*wórmeyes
accusative	*wórmim	*wórmih₁(e)	*wórmims
genitive	*wr̥méys	*?	*wr̥méyoHom
ablative	*wr̥méys	*?	*wr̥mímos, *wr̥míbʰos
dative	*wr̥méyey	*?	*wr̥mímos, *wr̥míbʰos
locative	*wr̥méy, *wr̥mḗy	*?	*wr̥mísu
instrumental	*wr̥míh₁	*?	*wr̥mímis, *wr̥míbʰis

Descendants

• Proto-Albanian: *wrimi
  • Albanian: rrime
• Proto-Armenian:
  • >? Old Armenian: որդն (ordn)
• Proto-Balto-Slavic: *wārmi-, *wārmas
  • Lithuanian: var̃mas (“mosquito, horse-fly, fly, bug”)
  • Old Prussian: wormyan (“red”), urminan, warmun
  • Proto-Slavic: *vьrmьje (see there for further descendants)
• Proto-Celtic:
  • Proto-Brythonic:
    • Welsh: gwraint
• Proto-Germanic: *wurmiz (see there for further descendants)
• Proto-Hellenic: *wrómos
  • Ancient Greek: ῥόμος (rhómos, “wood-worm”)
• Proto-Italic: *wormis
  • Latin: vermis (see there for further descendants)