Reconstruction:Proto-Slavic/žьrti

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.

• *žerti

Generally presumed to reflect Proto-Balto-Slavic *gírˀtei (“to praise”), from Proto-Indo-European *gʷerH- (“to approve, to praise”).

Cognate yé-presents Lithuanian gìrti (“to praise”), Old Prussian girtwei (“to praise”), Latvian dzir̃t (“to honor”), dzirtiês (“to boast”) (usually reflexive) and perhaps Sanskrit गुरते (guráte, “to welcome”). Further akin to Sanskrit जरते (járate, “to address, to call for”), गृणाति (gṛṇā́ti, “to praise, to invoke”).

An older interpretation suggests origin from *gʷer- (“to raise voice, to vocalize, to resonate”) (cf. Lithuanian gar̃sas (“sound, echo”), ger̃bti (“to respect”)).

*žьrti

1. (originally) to consecrate
2. (transitive) to sacrifice

Intensive stem: *žirati

• *požirati, *požьrěti (“to offer for sacrifice”)
• *žьrьcь m (“priest”), *žьrica f (“priestess”)
• *žьrtva (“sacrifice”)
• *žьrtьje (“sacrificial ritual”)
• *žьrěta (“sacral incantation”)

• *gora (“highland”)
• *gornъ m, *gorno n (“verse, spell, chant”)
• *gъrdъ (“proud”)

• East Slavic:
  • Old East Slavic: жрьти (žrĭti), жрети (žreti)
    • Russian: жреть (žretʹ) (archaic)
• South Slavic:
  • Old Church Slavonic:

    Old Cyrillic script: жрьти (žrĭti)

    Glagolitic script: ⰶⱃⰹⱅⰹ (žriti)

• Vasmer, Max (1964–1973) “жру”, in Oleg Trubachyov, transl., Этимологический словарь русского языка [Etymological Dictionary of the Russian Language] (in Russian), Moscow: Progress
• Borissoff, K., Shaposhnikov, A. (2017) “Русско-санскритские этимологические этюды ”, in Труды Института русского языка, Vinogradov Russian Language Institute, page 58: “Др.-русск. жер(е)ти (праслав. *žerti, *žьrti) ~ вед. jṝ-, járate”
• “girti”, in Lietuvių kalbos etimologinio žodyno duomenų bazė [Lithuanian etymological dictionary database], 2007–2012