Reconstruction:Proto-Germanic/werþaz

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

Etymology

From Pre-Germanic *wértos. While Kroonen leaves the origin open,^[1] Matasovic derives the word from Proto-Indo-European *wert- (“to turn”) through an intermediary meaning of "exchange", a development also seen in Celtic; compare Proto-Brythonic *gwerθ (“worth, price”).^[2]

Pronunciation

IPA^(key): /ˈwer.θɑz/

Adjective

*werþaz

worthy, valuable

Inflection

Declension of *werþaz (a-stem)
Strong declension
	singular			plural
	masculine	feminine	neuter	masculine	feminine	neuter
nominative	*werþaz	*werþō	*werþą, -atō	*werþai	*werþôz	*werþō
accusative	*werþanǭ	*werþǭ	*werþą, -atō	*werþanz	*werþōz	*werþō
genitive	*werþas, -is	*werþaizōz	*werþas, -is	*werþaizǫ̂	*werþaizǫ̂	*werþaizǫ̂
dative	*werþammai	*werþaizōi	*werþammai	*werþaimaz	*werþaimaz	*werþaimaz
instrumental	*werþanō	*werþaizō	*werþanō	*werþaimiz	*werþaimiz	*werþaimiz

Weak declension
	singular			plural
	masculine	feminine	neuter	masculine	feminine	neuter
nominative	*werþô	*werþǭ	*werþô	*werþaniz	*werþōniz	*werþōnō
accusative	*werþanų	*werþōnų	*werþô	*werþanunz	*werþōnunz	*werþōnō
genitive	*werþiniz	*werþōniz	*werþiniz	*werþanǫ̂	*werþōnǫ̂	*werþanǫ̂
dative	*werþini	*werþōni	*werþini	*werþammaz	*werþōmaz	*werþammaz
instrumental	*werþinē	*werþōnē	*werþinē	*werþammiz	*werþōmiz	*werþammiz

Derived terms

Related terms

*werþą

Descendants

Old English: weorþ
- Middle English: worth
  - Scots: wirth
  - English: worth
Old Frisian: werth, werd
Old Saxon: werth
- Middle Low German: wert
  - → Estonian: väärt
Old Dutch: werth
- Middle Dutch: wert, waert
  - Dutch: waard
    - Afrikaans: waarde
Old High German: werd
- Middle High German: wert
  - Cimbrian: bèart
  - German: wert, Wert
    - → Polish: wart
    - → Ukrainian: вартий (vartyj)
  - Hunsrik: Weert
  - Luxembourgish: wäert
Old Norse: verðr, verð
- Faroese: verður
- Icelandic: verður
- Norwegian: verdt, verd
- Danish: værd
- Old Swedish: værþer
  - Swedish: värd
Gothic: 𐍅𐌰𐌹𐍂𐌸𐍃 (wairþs), 𐍅𐌰𐌹𐍂𐌸 (wairþ) (<*werþą)
→ Proto-Finnic: *vërta
- Estonian: võrd
- Finnish: verta (“match, equal”)

References

^ Kroonen, Guus (2013) “*werþa-”, in Etymological Dictionary of Proto-Germanic (Leiden Indo-European Etymological Dictionary Series; 11)‎, Leiden, Boston: Brill, →ISBN, page 581
^ Matasović, Ranko (2009) “*werto-”, in Etymological Dictionary of Proto-Celtic (Leiden Indo-European Etymological Dictionary Series; 9), Leiden: Brill, →ISBN, page 415

[1] Kroonen, Guus (2013) “*werþa-”, in Etymological Dictionary of Proto-Germanic (Leiden Indo-European Etymological Dictionary Series; 11)‎, Leiden, Boston: Brill, →ISBN, page 581

[2] Matasović, Ranko (2009) “*werto-”, in Etymological Dictionary of Proto-Celtic (Leiden Indo-European Etymological Dictionary Series; 9), Leiden: Brill, →ISBN, page 415

[1]

[2]