gher-

I. gher-¹

To grasp, enclose; with derivatives meaning “enclosure.” Oldest form *g̑her-, becoming *gher- in centum languages.

Derivatives include orchard, kindergarten, courteous, choir, and choral.

1. Suffixed zero-grade form *ghr̥-dh-.

a. gird¹, girt¹, from Old English gyrdan, to gird, from Germanic *gurdjan;

b. girdle, from Old English gyrdel, girdle;

c. girth, from Old Norse gjördh, girdle, girth.

2. Suffixed o-grade form *ghor-to- or (in Germanic) *ghor-dho-, an enclosure.

a.

(i) yard²; orchard, from Old English geard, enclosure, garden, yard;

(ii) garth; Asgard, from Old Norse gardhr, enclosure, garden, yard;

(iii) kindergarten, from Old High German garto, garden;

(iv) garden, jardinière, from Old North French gart, garden;

(v) hangar, from Old French hangard, shelter, possibly from Germanic *haimgardaz (*haimaz, home; see tkei-);

(vi) Germanic compound *midja-gardaz (see medhyo-). (i)-(vi) all from Germanic *gardaz;

b. horticulture, ortolan, from Latin hortus, garden.

3. Prefixed and suffixed zero-grade form *ko(m)-ghr̥-ti- (*ko(m)-, collective prefix, “together” see kom). cohort, cortege, court, courteous, courtesan, courtesy, courtier, curtilage, curtsy, from Latin cohors (stem cohort-), enclosed yard, company of soldiers, multitude.

4. Perhaps suffixed o-grade form *ghor-o-. carol, choir, choral, chorale, choric, chorister, chorus, hora; choragus, Terpsichore, from Greek khoros, dancing ground (? perhaps originally a special enclosure for dancing), dance, dramatic chorus.

 

[Pokorny 4. g̑her- 442, g̑herdh- 444.]

  II. gher-²

To like, want. Oldest form *g̑her-, becoming *gher- in centum languages.

1. Suffixed form *gher-n-. yearn, from Old English giernan, gyrnan, to strive, desire, yearn, from Germanic *gernjan.

2. Possibly extended form *ghrē-.

a. greedy, from Old English grǣdig, hungry, covetous, greedy, from Germanic *grēdiga-, hungry, formed from *grēduz, hunger;

b. catachresis, chresard, chrestomathy, from Greek khrēsthai, to lack, want, use, from khrē, it is necessary.

3. Suffixed zero-grade form *ghr̥-to-. hortative; exhort, from Latin hortārī, to urge on, encourage (< “to cause to strive or desire”).

4. Suffixed zero-grade form *ghr̥-i-. charisma; Eucharist, from Greek kharis, grace, favor.

5. Suffixed zero-grade form *ghr̥-yo-. chervil, from Greek khairein, to rejoice, delight in.

 

[Pokorny 1. g̑her- 440.]

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