Cognate Set 5007 – Meaning: ant

IE-CoR reference form:
*moru̯i-
IE-CoR reference language:
Proto-Indo-European
Ideophonic:
no
Parallel derivation:
no
Justification:
Many irregular developments, often assumed to be due to taboo deformation, but all the lexemes are generally assumed to come from a common Indo-European source. The metathesised stem *u̯orm- as found in Vedic, etc. is generally assumed to be a taboo-deformation while the forms found in Avestan maoiri-, Old Irish moirb are often assumed to be most closely reflect to the original (EIEC 24). For individual branches, cf. Adams 2013:630, Beekes 2010:982, Martirosyan 2010:482-483, EWAia II:507, ESSJa 19:241-249, Derksen 2008:326, Kroonen 2013:359, de Vaan 2008:243, Matasović 2009:278.
Found in clades:
Armenian, Celtic, Germanic, Hellenic, Indic, Iranic, Italic, Slavic, Tocharian
Revised by:
Matthew Scarborough
Found in 9 clades by 98 lexemes.
Language Lexeme Native script Phonetic Phonemic Notes
88   Polish mrówka ˈmɾufkɑ̈ ˈmruvka
78   Old Church Slavonic mravii мравии mrɑʋijɪ̆ mravijɪ The word is not attested in the Canon but in younger texts only.
98   Belarusian muraška мурашка muˈɾɑ̈ʂkɑ̈ muˈraʂka
79   Bulgarian mravka мравка ˈmɾɑ̈fkə ˈmravka
93   Czech mravenec ˈmɾɑ̈vɛnɛts ˈmravenets
80   Macedonian mrav(k)a мрав(к)а ˈmɾɑ̈fkɑ̈ ˈmravka
97   Russian muravej муравей mʊɾɐˈvʲej muraˈvʲej
91   Slovak mravec ˈmɾɑ̈vɛts ˈmravets
83   Serbo-Croat mrav mɾɑ̈̂ːv mrâːv
94   Sorbian: Upper mrowja ˈmʁojɑ̈ ˈmʀoja
99   Ukrainian muraha мураха mʊˈɾɑ̈xɐ muˈraxa Alternative derivative: 'мурашка'.
95   Sorbian: Lower mroja ˈmɾɔjɑ̈ ˈmrɔja
85   Slovene mravlja mɾɑ̈̀ːwljɑ̈ mràːvlja
49   Khotanese muṃjakä mʊ̃dʒɐkə mund͡ʒakə
46   Avestan: Younger maoiri 𐬨𐬀𐬊𐬌𐬭𐬌 mau̯ri
21   Vedic: Early vamráḥ वम्रः ʋɐmˈɾɐh vamrás ~ pipīlá- m.
155   Middle Breton meryenenn, meryenen merˈjeːnen singulative. The corresponding collective is not attested in Middle Breton.
6   Greek: Ancient mýrmēx μύρμηξ mýrmɛːks mýrmɛːks G.sg. μύρμηκος.
8   Greek: Modern Std myrmī́gki μυρμήγκι mirˈmiɲɟi mirˈminki
15   Armenian: Classical mrǰiwn մրջիւն məɾˈdʒjun mi/uɾdʒi-u/ɑn- also մրջիմն mrǰimn 'id.'
16   Armenian: Eastern mrǰyown մրջյուն məɾtʃʰˈjun m(ə)ɾdʒiun
17   Armenian: Western mrǰiwn մրջիւն məɾˈtʃʰjun m(ə)ɾtʃʰi(-)u/ɑn
124   Latin formīca forˈmiːka forˈmiːka G.sg. formīcae
136   French fourmi fuʁmi fuʁmi
90   Polabian morvĕ ˈmɔrvɘ ˈmorvɘ Nominative plural.
89   Kashubian mrówka ˈmɾufkɑ̈ ˈmruvka
56   Kurdish N.: Bahdini mēri meːri
55   Parthian mōrw [m(w)r]w moːɾw moːrw
72   Ossetic: Iron mælʒyg мӕлдзыг mɜlˈzɘɡ mɜlzəɡ
66   Middle Persian mōr mwl moːr moːr Only in Pahlavi
67   Persian: Tehran murčeh مورچه muːr murt͜ʃe
14   Tsakonian: Propontis mermī́tsi μερμήτσι me̞rˈmitsi me̞rˈmitsi
53   Yaghnobi mū́rčak ˈmuːrtɕac
10   Greek: Pontic m(y/e)rmī́ka, myrmī́ki(n) μ(υ/ε)ρμήκα, μυρμήκι(ν) m(i/e̞)rˈmikə, mirˈmiki(n) m(i/e̞)rˈmika, mirˈmiki(n) also /me̞rˈme̞nki/
9   Greek: Cappadocian mourmoúk(i) μουρμούκ(ι) murˈmuc(i) murˈmuk(i) also /murˈmutʃ/
130   Friulian furmie furˈmiɛ furˈmie
108   Old Swedish myra myra myra
133   Sardinian: Nuoro fromica fromˈmiːɣa fromˈmiːɣa
134   Sardinian: Logudoro formíca ˈossu ˈossu
135   Anglo-Norman furmi
137   Walloon frumihe fʁyˈmih fʁyˈmih
139   Franco-Provençal fromlye ˈfɾɔmʎɵ̞ ˈfrɔmʎø feminine noun
141   Catalan formiga furˈmiɣə furˈmiɡə
142   Old Spanish formiga foɾˈmiɡa
143   Spanish hormiga ɔɾˈmiɣa oɾˈmiɡa
144   Portuguese formiga fuɾˈmiɣɐ fuɾˈmiɣɐ
154   Old Breton morion Plural in: clut morion DGVB II 417
12   Greek: Italiot vermī́tši βερμήτσ̌ι ve̞rˈmitʃi ve̞rˈmitʃi Calabrian (Cal.); /ˈme̞rmiko̞/ Apulian (Ap).
73   Ossetic: Digor mulʒug мулдзуг muldzuɡ mulʒuɡ
103   Icelandic maur
104   Faroese meyra
105   Norwegian: Bokmål maur mɑʊɾ mɑʊr
107   Elfdalian męre Newer nominative form: męra
110   Danish myre ˈmyːʌ
125   Romanian furnică fuɾˈnicə furɾˈnicə
127   Dalmatian: Vegliote formai̯ka forˈmajka
128   Neapolitan furmicola furˈmikələ furˈmikələ
129   Italian formica forˈmiːka forˈmika
131   Ladin formia forˈmia
156   Breton: Gwened melhion, melhionenn melʰjɔ̃ːn, uʁ velʰjɔnɛn melhion is the collective, melhionenn the singulative
157   Breton: Treger merien ˈme̞ɹjën, me̞ɹˈjẽːnën ˈmerjën, merˈje̝nën clv, merienenn sgv
151   Welsh: North morgrugyn mɔrˈɡriɡin morˈɡriɡin with diminutive/singulative suffix -yn; collective morgrug 'ants'
109   Swedish myra
116   Dutch mier
117   Flemish mier
87   Old Polish mrówka ˈmroːv/fka̠ ˈmroːvka
150   Middle Welsh morgrugyn morɡrʉɡɨn singulative
92   Old Czech mravenec ˈmrɑ̈βɛnɛts ˈmravenets
100   Rusyn mur′áška muˈrɑ̈ʂkɑ̈ muˈraʂka
81   Macedonian: Suho mràv′a ˈmɾɑ̈vʲɐ ˈmravja
82   Macedonian: Visoka mràv′a ˈmɾɑ̈βʲɐ ˈmravja
51   Wakhi mir-prič mir-pritʃ Second compound member = 'worm'
86   Slovene: Kostel mravinec ˈmɾɑ̈ʋiːnts ˈmraviːnts
84   Slovene: Early Modern mravla ˈmrɑ̈wlɑ̈
68   Bakhtiari muriz muɾiz muriz
48   Sogdian zmōrč zmwrc zmoːrtʃ zmoːrt͜ʃ reconstructed from S zmʾwrc (also variant zmʾwrʾk)
64   Balochi: Sistani morīnk morink
4   Tocharian B warme* ˈwərme wərme Attested in pl. warmi. Probably cognate with the Germanic family of E. worm, G. Wurm; cf. PIE *u̯ormo- → Skt. vamrá- and (with various deformations) Gr. ὅρμικας, Lat. formīca, etc.
62   Tati muruke muruke
63   Mazanderani melije melid͡ʒe
70   Lari mur mur
57   Kurdish C.: Jafi merūča merut͡ʃæ
138   Old Occitan fourmiga
126   Megleno-Romanian furnígă
58   Kurdish S.: Elami mırüž mɘ̟ɾyʒ Both terms (mūrīž, mırüž) are commonly used by the interviewed speaker and other speakers.
60   Hawrami miročē mɨrot͡ʃeː
140   Old Catalan formiga foɾˈmiɣə foɾˈmiɣə
61   Raji: Barzoki murčạ muɾt͡ʃa̠ˁ muɾt͡ʃa̠ˁ
50   Pashto mige ميګۍ ˈmi.ɡe miɡe
47   Khwarazmian zmōrik zmwryk zmoːrik
52   Sarikoli merz meɾz
115   Middle Dutch miere ˈmiə̯rə ˈmiə̯rə
102   Old Icelandic maurr mau̯rː mau̯rː
153   Late Cornish murrian ˈmurjən collective; sgl. murrianan [muˈrjanən]
106   Norwegian: Nynorsk maur mɑʊχ mɑʊʁ
145   Portuguese: Brazilian formiga
132   Milanese furmìga furˈmiɡa
59   Kurdish S.: Qorveh mɨrüžna mɨryʒnæ
References
  • Adams, Douglas Q.: 630
    S.v. TochB warme* 'ant', (as though) from PIE *u̯r̥mo-, a deformation of the *u̯ormo- that lies behind Sanskrit valmīka-, vamrá-, Greek βόρμαξ, βύρμαξ, ὅρμαξ, μύρμηξ, Lat. formīca.
  • Beekes, Robert: 982
    S.v. μύρμηξ, -ηκος 'ant'. The stem of Ancient Greek μύρμηξ is derived from PIE *moru̯i- (directly continued by Avestan maoiri- Old Irish moirb, Old Russian morovij), but like in many places elsewhere among the IE languages it appears to have undergone analogical or irregular developments. The new suffix -ηξ is also found in other words for insects, e.g. σκώληξ 'worm, maggot', σφήξ 'wasp'.
  • Derksen, Rick: 326
    S.v. Proto-Slavic *morvi 'ant' (ESSJa XIX 246-249), from PIE *moru-iH (cf. Av. maoirī-, OIr. moirb).
  • Kroonen, Guus: 359
    S.v. Proto-Germanic *maura- 'ant' < *mour-o- (cf. Skt. vamrá- 'ant' < *uomr-o-; YAv. maoiri- 'id.', NPers. mōr 'id.', Oss. mælʒyg / mulʒug 'id.' < *moru-i-; Skt. vamrī́-, Av. maoirī- 'id.' < *uomr-ih₂ / *moru-ih₂; Gk. μύρμηξ, -ηκος 'id.' < *morm-; Lat. formīca 'id.' < *bʰ(o)rm-; OIr. moirb 'id.', W myr 'id.' < PIE *moru-i-; CS mravii 'id.' < *moru-ih₂-, ORu. morovej, Ru. muravéj 'id.' < *moru-io-, SCr. mrȃv 'id.' < *moru-o-; TochB warme* 'id.' < *urm-i-). "The word is of IE origin, but the original form is difficult to reconstruct due to cross-dialectal tabooistic distortions and metatheses."
  • Mallory, James P.: 24
    Cf. s.v. ANT *moru̯is ~ *morm- ~ *moruos for further discussion. "The number of phonological variants suggest that the designation for the 'ant' in IE traditions was more than usually subject to phonological deformation (via metathesis, etc.) owing to some sort of affective semantics of the word. Though it is hard to reconstruct the exact PIE shape of the word, it is clearly of PIE date."
  • Martirosyan, Hrach: 482-483
    S.v. mrǰiwn 'ant', since long connected with the PIE word for 'ant' (cf. Gk. μύρμηξ 'ant', Lat. formīca 'ant', Skt. vamrá- 'ant', YAv. maoiri- 'ant', NPers. mōr 'ant', etc.). One usually assumes taboo-forms *u̯orm- : *moru̯-.
  • Matasović, Ranko: 278
    S.v. Proto-Celtic *moru̯i- 'ant', cf. PIE *moru̯i- 'ant' (IEW 749). "The PIE form is notoriously difficult to reconstruct. The PIE i-stem implied by the agreement between MIr. and Avestan is probably older than the thematic forms found in Skt. (which also involves metathesis) and Greek (with assimilation *moru̯o- > *mormo-, and subsequent change of *o > i̯ between a labial and a resonant)."
  • Mayrhofer, Manfred: II:507
    S.v. Ved. vamrá- 'Ameise' (IIr. cf. Av. maoiri- 'Ameise', Khot. muṃjaka-, MPers., NPers. mōr, Oss. mælʒyg/mulʒug, Pašto meẓ̌ay 'Ameise', etc.). "Ved. vamrº, valmº, iran. *maru̯º zeigen Umgestaltungen eines unter Tabu stehenden Tiernamens … dem entsprechen in den anderen idg. Sprachen Wortformen, die auf *u̯ormº ~ *moru̯º ~ *mormº."
  • Morgenstierne, Georg: 45
    "The Š[ughni]Gr[oup] forms in ǰ/č have been influenced by Prs."
  • Trubačev, O. N.: 241-249
    Cf. the cited page range for Proto-Slavic *morvь and various related forms. The archaic Proto-Slavic form *morvь (directly reflecting PIE *moru̯i-) was preserved in some dialects only. In the most Slavic languages and dialects there are various derivatives transferring the lexeme to *-a- and *-o- stem classes.
  • de Vaan, Michiel: 243
    S.v. Lat. formīca 'ant', from PIE *moru̯-o/ī̆-(?) (cf. OIr. moirb, W. myr, Bret. merien 'ant' < *moru̯i-; Skt. vamrá- 'ant', valmī́ka- 'ant-hill'; Av. maoiri-, Oss. mælzyg / mulzug, Pašto mežay, Sogd. ymʾwrc < PIr. *maru̯i(ka)-, Sogd. zmʾwrʾk, Khwar. zmwrk, MP, MoP mōr < *maru̯aka-; Gk. μύρμηξ, -ηκος 'ant', βύρμαξ, βόρμαξ, ὅρμικας (with β- and zero < *ϝ-); RuCS. mravьjь, ORu. morovej, Po. mrówka, SCr. mrȃv 'ant' < moru-iH-; OIc. maurr < *mour-o-, Far. meyra < *maurōn-, Dan. myre, OE mȳre, ME mire, MDu. miere, Crimean Gothic miera < *meur(j)ōn- 'ant', TochB warme* nom.pl. warmi 'ant' < *u̯r̥mo-). "The word for ant is difficult to reconstruct because of the deviating forms; probably taboo distortions took place in many languages. This process can still be observed in modern dialects, for instance of Dutch and German. Latin f- might go back to *m- via a dissimilation *m- – m > *f – m. Meillet (1918) assumes an intermediate stage *[ƀ] (voiced bilabial fricative), which he regards as an argument for the view that all PIE *bʰ changed to *ƀ before yielding Latin f-. In IE branches, we find the stem structures *moru̯-o/ī̆- (Celtic, Iranian, Slavic, Gm.), *mormo/i- (Greek), and *uormo/i- (Skt., Toch., Greek?). Since the latter is quite similar to PIE *u(o)rmo/i- 'worm, insect' (see s.v. vermis), it may have been influenced by it; consequently, for 'ant' the form *moruo/i- is more likely to be old."