Reconstruction:Proto-Germanic/bulô

This Proto-Germanic 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-Germanic

Alternative forms

• *bullô

Etymology

Earlier paradigm *bulô ~ *bullaz with consonant gradation, from a Proto-Indo-European n-stem such as *bʰl̥-ḗn ~ *bʰl̥-n-ós (compare *uhsô for the formation), from the root *bʰel- (“to blow, swell up”). The original meaning may have been “testicle”, similar to Germanic cognates meaning “ball; testicle”; compare Latin follis (“bag, sack; ball; testicle”), Ancient Greek φαλλός (phallós, “penis”) and Old Irish ball (“body part, member, limb; part”).

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ˈbu.lɔːː/

Noun

*bulô m

1. bull

Inflection

masculine an-stemDeclension of *bulô (masculine an-stem)
	singular	plural
nominative	*bulô	*bulaniz
vocative	*bulô	*bulaniz
accusative	*bulanų	*bulanunz
genitive	*buliniz	*bulanǫ̂
dative	*bulini	*bulammaz
instrumental	*bulinē	*bulammiz

Synonyms

• *steuraz
• *þeuraz

Related terms

• *ballô (“ball; bale”)
• *balluz (“ball”)
• *balþaz (“bold”)
• *bellǭ (“knoll”)
• *bullô
• *bullǭ

Descendants

• Proto-West Germanic: *bulō
  • Old English: bula
    • Middle English: bole, bule, bul
      • Scots: bul, bull
      • English: bull
  • Old Frisian: *bula
    • Saterland Frisian: Bulle
    • West Frisian: bolle
  • Old Saxon: *bulo, *bullo
    • Middle Low German: bulle
      • Low German: Bull
      • German Low German: Bull
      • → German: Bulle
      • → Polabian: bålă
  • Old Dutch: *bulo, *bullo
    • Middle Dutch: bolle, bulle
      • Dutch: bul
        • Afrikaans: bul
• Old Norse: boli
  • Icelandic: boli
  • Faroese: boli
  • Swedish: bulla (< Middle Low German ?)