Reconstruction:Proto-Slavic/bělъ

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.

From Proto-Indo-European root noun *bʰel- (“white surface or stain”). Cognate with Lithuanian bãlas (“white”), báltas (“white”) and Latvian bãls (“pale”), balts (“white”).

*bě̃lъ^[1][2][3][4]

1. white (the brightest color)
2. bright (color close to white)
3. clear, clean

   *bě̃lъ dь̏nь ― broad daylight

   1. (figuratively) → good, favorable, happy

      *bě̃lъ bȍgъ ― good luck

   2. (figuratively) → beautiful

Accent paradigm b.

• East Slavic:
  • Old East Slavic: бѣлъ (bělŭ)
    • Old Ruthenian: бѣ́лый (bě́lyj)
      • Belarusian: бе́лы (bjély)
      • Carpathian Rusyn: білый (bilŷj)
      • Ukrainian: бі́лий (bílyj)
    • Russian: бе́лый (bélyj)
  • Old Novgorodian: бѣле (běle)
• South Slavic:
  • Old Church Slavonic:

    Old Cyrillic script: бѣлъ (bělŭ)

    Glagolitic script: ⰱⱑⰾⱏ (bělŭ)

  • Bulgarian: бял (bjal)
  • Macedonian: бел (bel)
  • Serbo-Croatian:

    Cyrillic script: бе̏о

    Latin script: bȅo

  • Slovene: bẹ́ł (tonal orthography)
• West Slavic:
  • Old Czech: bielý, biełý (alternative writing)
    • Czech: bílý
  • Old Polish: biały
    • Polish: biały
    • Silesian: bioły
  • Old Slovak: biely
    • Pannonian Rusyn: били (bili)
    • Slovak: biely
  • Polabian: b́olĕ
  • Pomeranian:
    • Kashubian: biôłi
    • Slovincian: bjoly
  • Sorbian:
    • Upper Sorbian: běły
    • Lower Sorbian: běły

• → Romanian: băl

• Gluhak, Alemko (1993) “Proto-Slavic/bělъ”, in Hrvatski etimološki rječnik [Croatian Etymology Dictionary] (in Serbo-Croatian), Zagreb: August Cesarec, →ISBN, page 130
• Skok, Petar (1971) “Proto-Slavic/bělъ”, in Etimologijski rječnik hrvatskoga ili srpskoga jezika [Etymological Dictionary of the Croatian or Serbian Language] (in Serbo-Croatian), volumes 1 (A – J), Zagreb: JAZU, page 152
• Vasmer, Max (1964–1973) “белый”, in Oleg Trubachyov, transl., Этимологический словарь русского языка [Etymological Dictionary of the Russian Language] (in Russian), Moscow: Progress
• Trubachyov, Oleg, editor (1975), “*bělъ(jь)”, in Этимологический словарь славянских языков [Etymological dictionary of Slavic languages] (in Russian), numbers 2 (*bez – *bratrъ), Moscow: Nauka, page 79