Reconstruction:Latin/nevem

This Latin 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.

Latin

Etymology

From Classical nivem, with an early lowering of [ɪ] to [ɛ] caused by the following [β]. (Cf. the lowering from [ʊ] to [ɔ] in colubra > *colobra.) Alternatively, the stressed vowel may simply have been taken from nĕbula (“fog”).

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ˈnɛβe/

Noun

*nevem f (Proto-Italo-Western-Romance)

1. snow

Reconstruction notes

Nom.sing. */ˈnɛβes/ > Old Occitan la neus.

Declension

	singular	plural
nominative	*/ˈnɛβes/	*/ˈnɛβes/
oblique	*/ˈnɛβe/	*/ˈnɛβes/

Derived terms

• *nevāre (verb)

Descendants

• Dalmatian:
  • niav
• Italo-Romance:
  • Old Italian: nieve (Siena, Pistoia)
• North Italian:
  • Ladin: gneve (Ampezzo)
• Gallo-Romance:
  • Catalan: neu
  • Gascon: nheu
  • Occitan: nèu, neu
• Ibero-Romance:
  • Aragonese: nieu, ñeu, neu
  • Asturian: nieve, ñeve
  • Mirandese: niebe
  • Old Galician-Portuguese: neve
    • Fala: nevi
    • Galician: neve
    • Portuguese: neve
      • Kabuverdianu: nevi
  • Old Spanish: nieve
    • Spanish: nieve

References

• Meyer-Lübke, Wilhelm (1911) “nĭx”, in Romanisches etymologisches Wörterbuch (in German), page 438
• “neu” in Diccionari català-valencià-balear, Antoni Maria Alcover and Francesc de Borja Moll, 1962.
• Walther von Wartburg (1928–2002) “nĭx”, in Französisches Etymologisches Wörterbuch, volumes 7: N–Pas, page 158