Reconstruction:Proto-Germanic/speru

This Proto-Germanic 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-Germanic

Alternative forms

• *sperru, *sparu

Etymology

From Pre-Germanic *sperHu-, from Proto-Indo-European *sperH-. Cognate with Latin sparus (“hunting spear”).

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ˈspe.ru/

Noun

*speru n

1. spear

   Synonyms: *angô, *darōþuz, *frankô, *gaizaz, *speutaz

Inflection

neuter u-stemDeclension of *speru (neuter u-stem)
	singular	plural
nominative	*speru	*sperū
vocative	*speru	*sperū
accusative	*speru	*sperū
genitive	*sperauz	*spiriwǫ̂
dative	*spiriwi	*sperumaz
instrumental	*sperū	*sperumiz

Descendants

• Proto-West Germanic: *speru, *spiri, *spari
  • Old English: spere
    • Middle English: spere
      • Scots: spere, speir
      • English: spear
  • Old Frisian: spere, spiri, sper
    • Saterland Frisian: Speer
    • West Frisian: spear
  • Old Saxon: sper
    • Middle Low German: sper
      • Low German: Speer
  • Old Dutch: *speru, *sper
    • Middle Dutch: spēre, sper
      • Dutch: speer
        • Afrikaans: speer
  • Old High German: sper
    • Middle High German: sper
      • German: Speer
      • Luxembourgish: Speer
• Old Norse: spjǫr, spjǫrr, spǫrr, sparr
  • Icelandic: spjör, sparr

References

• Kroonen, Guus (2013) Etymological Dictionary of Proto-Germanic (Leiden Indo-European Etymological Dictionary Series; 11), Leiden, Boston: Brill, →ISBN