Reconstruction:Proto-Finnic/heredä

This Proto-Finnic 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-Finnic

Etymology 1

From *hëra +‎ *-edä. Originally with back vowels (*hërëda), but associated with etymology 2.

Adjective

*heredä

1. abundant, abundantly flowing

Descendants

• Finnish: hereä

Etymology 2

From *her- +‎ *-edä, derived from a Baltic root. Compare Lithuanian žė́ra. Cognate with Northern Sami šearrat.

Adjective

*heredä

1. bright

Descendants

• Estonian: ere

Etymology 3

Probably by semantic shift from etymology 1, even if a connection with etymology 2 has also been proposed. Back-vowel forms like *hërkka were probably original as with etymology 1.

Adjective

*heredä

1. sensitive, delicate
2. lively, brisk, perky

Descendants

• Finnish: hereä (dialectal)
• Karelian: herie

Derived terms

• *herkkä

References

• Santeri Junttila: Kantasuomen balttilaislainat (Draft). [1]