< Reconstruction:Proto-Slavic

Reconstruction:Proto-Slavic/žestokъ

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.

Proto-Slavic

Etymology

Extended from an earlier *žestъ + *-okъ, parallel to *žestъkъ (k-extended u-stem). Further origin uncertain.

Mladenov, Iljinsky considered relation with Latin hostis (enemy) (meaning developed from an original “guest” → “foreigner, stranger” → “foe”), Sanskrit घसति (ghásati, to eat, to nurish) from Proto-Indo-European *gʰes- (to host), which nowadays is usually rejected for semantic reasons. Skok tentatively proposes derivation from Proto-Slavic *žegťi (to heat up) (probably on account of the Serbo-Croatian meaning “bitter, sour”), which is phonotactically dubious. Per Vasmer, more likely akin to Old Norse kǫs f (heap, pile), Old High German kes n ((mountain) glacier) or perhaps Irish gallán (pillar, stone) < *gaslā.

Adjective

*žestòkъ[1]

  1. stern, hard, stiff, rigid (for material)
  2. (in Serbo-Croatian) bitter, sour (for taste)
    Synonyms: *syrъ, *surovъ, *gorьkъ
  3. (figurative) cruel, fierce, harsh, severe (for personality, behavior, attitude)

Declension

Accent paradigm C

Derived terms

  • *оžestočiti/*оžestočati, *užestočiti (to harden, to make severe)
  • *žestokostь (cruelty)

Descendants

  • East Slavic:
    • Old East Slavic: жестокъ (žestokŭ)
  • South Slavic:
  • Non-Slavic:
    • Romanian: jestoc

Further reading

  • Vasmer, Max (1964–1973) “жестокий”, in Oleg Trubachyov, transl., Этимологический словарь русского языка [Etymological Dictionary of the Russian Language] (in Russian), Moscow: Progress
  • Georgiev, Vladimir I., editor (1971), “жесто̀к”, in Български етимологичен речник [Bulgarian Etymological Dictionary] (in Bulgarian), volumes 1 (А – З), Sofia: Bulgarian Academy of Sciences Pubg. House, →ISBN, page 538

References

  1. Olander, Thomas (2001) “žest(okъ)”, in Common Slavic Accentological Word List, Copenhagen: Editiones Olander:c hård (PR 138)
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