ak-

Sharp. Oldest form *ə₂ek̑-, colored to *ə₂ak̑-, becoming *ak̑- in satem languages and *ak- in centum languages.

Derivatives include acute, hammer, heaven, eager¹, vinegar, acid, and oxygen.

1. Suffixed form *ak-yā-.

a. edge; selvage, from Old English ecg, sharp side, from Germanic *agjō;

b. egg², from Old Norse eggja, to incite, goad, from Germanic *agjan.

2. Suffixed form *ak-u-.

a. ear², from Old English æhher, ēar, spike, ear of grain, from Germanic *ahuz-;

b. acicula, acuity, aculeate, acumen, acupuncture, acute, aglet, ague, eglantine, from Latin acus, needle;

c. acerose, from Latin acus, chaff.

3. Suffixed form *ak-i-. acidanthera, from Greek akis, needle.

4. Suffixed form *ak-men-, stone, sharp stone used as a tool, with metathetic variant *ka-men-, with variants:

a. *ka-mer-. hammer, from Old English hamor, hammer, from Germanic *hamaraz;

b. *ke-men- (probable variant). heaven, from Old English heofon, hefn, heaven, from Germanic *hibin-, “the stony vault of heaven,” dissimilated form of *himin-.

5. Suffixed form *ak-onā-, independently created in:

a. awn, from Old Norse ögn, ear of grain, and Old English agen, ear of grain, from Germanic *aganō; and

b. paragon, from Greek akonē, whetstone.

6. Suffixed lengthened form *āk-ri-. acerate, acrid, acrimony, eager¹; carvacrol, vinegar, from Latin ācer, sharp, bitter.

7. Suffixed form *ak-ri-bhwo-. acerbic, exacerbate, from Latin acerbus, bitter, sharp, tart.

8. Suffixed (stative) form *ak-ē-. acid, from Latin acēre, to be sharp.

9. Suffixed form *ak-ēto-. acetabulum, acetic, acetum; ester, from Latin acētum, vinegar.

10. Suffixed form *ak-mā-. acme, acne, from Greek akmē, point.

11. Suffixed form *ak-ro-. acro-; acrobat, acromion, from Greek akros, topmost.

12. O-grade form *ok- (from earlier *əok-) in suffixed form *ok-ri-. mediocre, from Latin ocris, rugged mountain.

13. Suffixed o-grade form *ok-su-. amphioxus, oxalis, oxygen, oxytone, oxyuriasis, paroxysm, from Greek oxus, sharp, sour.

 

[Pokorny 2. ak̑- 18, 3. k̑em- 556.]

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