sper-

To strew.

Derivatives include sprawl, sperm¹, and sporadic.

I. Zero-grade form *spr-.

1. sprawl, from Old English sprēawlian, to sprawl, from Germanic *spr-.

2. Extended form *spreud-.

a. sprout, from Old English -sprūtan, to sprout (only in ā-sprūtan, to sprout forth);

b. spritz, spritzer, from Middle High German sprützen, to spurt, spray;

c. sprit, from Old English sprēot, pole (< “sprout, stem”);

d. bowsprit, from Middle Low German bōchsprēt, bowsprit. a-d all from Germanic *sprūt-.

3. Extended form *spreit-. spray², spread, from Old English -sprǣdan, to spread, from Germanic *spraidjan.

II. Basic form *sper-.

1. Suffixed form *sper-yo-. Diaspora, from Greek speirein, to scatter, with derivative sporā, a scattering, sowing (see II. 1.).

2. Suffixed form *sper-mn̥. sperm¹, from Greek sperma, sperm, seed (< “that which is scattered”).

III. O-grade form *spor-.

1. Suffixed form *spor-ā-. spore, sporo-; exosporium, from Greek sporā, a sowing, seed.

2. Suffixed form *spor-n̥d-. sporadic, from Greek sporas (stem sporad-), scattered, dispersed.

IV. Extended Germanic root *sprē(w)-. spray¹, from Middle Dutch spraeien, sprayen, to sprinkle, from Germanic *sprēwjan.

 

[Pokorny 2. (s)p(h)er- 993.]

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