Reconstruction:Proto-Slavic/kubъ

This Proto-Slavic 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-Slavic

Alternative reconstructions

• *kǫbъ (per Vasmer)

Etymology

Attested mainly in Northern Slavic, except perhaps for dial. Macedonian куб (kub, “small shape, vessel”), Bulgarian кубица (kubica, “type of gadget or toy”). No certain relatives outside of Slavic:

• Per Vasmer: Possibly related to Sanskrit कुम्भ (kumbha, “pot”), Avestan 𐬑𐬎𐬨𐬠𐬀 (xumba, “pot”) or Ancient Greek κύμβος (kúmbos, “vessel”), implying a nasal reflex (as if from *kǫbъ).
• Per Trubačev: Without nasalization, as evident by Polish kubek, Lower Sorbian kub. Possibly akin to Lithuanian kaũbras (“mound”), Phrygian Κύβελον (Kúbelon, “mountain in West Anatolia”), perhaps from Proto-Indo-European *kewbʰ- (“to arch, to bow”).

Noun

*kubъ m (North Slavic)

1. type of small container: mug, beaker, goblet

Declension

Declension of *kubъ (hard o-stem)

	singular	dual	plural
nominative	*kubъ	*kuba	*kubi
genitive	*kuba	*kubu	*kubъ
dative	*kubu	*kuboma	*kubomъ
accusative	*kubъ	*kuba	*kuby
instrumental	*kubъmь, *kubomь*	*kuboma	*kuby
locative	*kubě	*kubu	*kuběxъ
vocative	*kube	*kuba	*kubi

^* -ъmь in North Slavic, -omь in South Slavic.

Alternative forms

• *kuba f

Derived terms

• *kubъkъ, *kubikъ, *kubьcь (diminutives)
• *kubrъ (“type of toy”)
• *kubanъ (“clay pot”)
• *kubovъ (adjective)
  • *kubovina (“cleft”)

Related terms

• *kъbьlъ (“bucket”) (possibly a Germanic borrowing)
• *čubъ (“crest”)

Descendants

• East Slavic:
  • Old East Slavic: кубъ (kubŭ), кубъкъ (kubŭkŭ) (attested around 13-14 cent.)
    • Russian: куб (kub) (dated), ку́бок (kúbok)
    • Ukrainian: куб (kub, “wooden dish”), ку́бок (kúbok)
• West Slavic:
  • (possibly) ⇒ Czech: kuba (“type of dish”) (dialectal)
  • ⇒ Polish: kubek (“bowl, cup”) (diminutive)
  • Lower Sorbian: kub (“bowl, cup”)

Further reading

• Trubachyov, Oleg, editor (1987), “*kubъ, *kubъkъ, *kubikъ”, in Этимологический словарь славянских языков [Etymological dictionary of Slavic languages] (in Russian), numbers 13 (*kroměžirъ – *kyžiti), Moscow: Nauka, page 77
• Vasmer, Max (1964–1973) “куб”, in Oleg Trubachyov, transl., Этимологический словарь русского языка [Etymological Dictionary of the Russian Language] (in Russian), Moscow: Progress
• “kaubrė̃”, in Lietuvių kalbos etimologinio žodyno duomenų bazė [Lithuanian etymological dictionary database], 2007–2012