Reconstruction:Proto-Slavic/golěmъ

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

Perhaps a relic present passive participle of Proto-Balto-Slavic *galḗˀtei (“to have capacity”) + *-ěmъ, cognate with Lithuanian galė́ti (“to be able”) (present participle galėjimas). Further akin to Lithuanian galià (“power, might”), gãlimas (“mighty”), possibly Gaulish gallus (“Gaul”).

For the suffix, compare Latin volaemum (“large pear”).

Adjective

*golěmъ

1. (perhaps originally) capable, powerful

   Synonyms: *mogǫťь, *věščь, *sъposobьnъ

2. (by extension) big, large, huge (for size)

   → great (for action, effect)

   → important, eminent, highly regarded (for person, status)

Declension

Indefinite declension of *golěmъ (hard)

singular	masculine	feminine	neuter
nominative	*golěmъ	*golěma	*golěmo
genitive	*golěma	*golěmy	*golěma
dative	*golěmu	*golěmě	*golěmu
accusative	*golěmъ	*golěmǫ	*golěmo
instrumental	*golěmomь	*golěmojǫ	*golěmomь
locative	*golěmě	*golěmě	*golěmě
vocative	*golěme	*golěmo	*golěmo
dual	masculine	feminine	neuter
nominative	*golěma	*golěmě	*golěmě
genitive	*golěmu	*golěmu	*golěmu
dative	*golěmoma	*golěmama	*golěmoma
accusative	*golěma	*golěmě	*golěmě
instrumental	*golěmoma	*golěmama	*golěmoma
locative	*golěmu	*golěmu	*golěmu
vocative	*golěma	*golěmě	*golěmě
plural	masculine	feminine	neuter
nominative	*golěmi	*golěmy	*golěma
genitive	*golěmъ	*golěmъ	*golěmъ
dative	*golěmomъ	*golěmamъ	*golěmomъ
accusative	*golěmy	*golěmy	*golěma
instrumental	*golěmy	*golěmami	*golěmy
locative	*golěměxъ	*golěmaxъ	*golěměxъ
vocative	*golěmi	*golěmy	*golěma

Definite declension of *golěmъ (hard)

singular	masculine	feminine	neuter
nominative	*golěmъjь	*golěmaja	*golěmoje
genitive	*golěmajego	*golěmyję̇	*golěmajego
dative	*golěmujemu	*golěměji	*golěmujemu
accusative	*golěmъjь	*golěmǫjǫ	*golěmoje
instrumental	*golěmyjimь	*golěmǫjǫ	*golěmyjimь
locative	*golěmějemь	*golěměji	*golěmějemь
vocative	*golěmъjь	*golěmaja	*golěmoje
dual	masculine	feminine	neuter
nominative	*golěmaja	*golěměji	*golěměji
genitive	*golěmuju	*golěmuju	*golěmuju
dative	*golěmyjima	*golěmyjima	*golěmyjima
accusative	*golěmaja	*golěměji	*golěměji
instrumental	*golěmyjima	*golěmyjima	*golěmyjima
locative	*golěmuju	*golěmuju	*golěmuju
vocative	*golěmaja	*golěměji	*golěměji
plural	masculine	feminine	neuter
nominative	*golěmiji	*golěmyję̇	*golěmaja
genitive	*golěmъjixъ	*golěmъjixъ	*golěmъjixъ
dative	*golěmyjimъ	*golěmyjimъ	*golěmyjimъ
accusative	*golěmyję̇	*golěmyję̇	*golěmaja
instrumental	*golěmyjimi	*golěmyjimi	*golěmyjimi
locative	*golěmyjixъ	*golěmyjixъ	*golěmyjixъ
vocative	*golěmiji	*golěmyję̇	*golěmaja

Derived terms

• *golěměti (“to be large”), *golěmiti (“to enlarge, to magnify”)
• *golěmina (“size, magnitude”)
• *golěmьcь, *golěmanъ (“powerful person”)

Related terms

• *golmę (“mickle”)

Descendants

• East Slavic:
  • Old East Slavic: голѣмꙑи (golěmyi)
    • Russian: голя́мый (goljámyj)
• South Slavic:
  • Old Church Slavonic:
    • Russian Church Slavonic: голѣмыи (golěmyi)
  • Bulgarian: голя́м (goljám)
  • Macedonian: голем (golem)
  • Serbo-Croatian:

    Cyrillic script: го̀лем

    Latin script: gòlem

• West Slavic:
  • Old Czech: holemý
  • Polish: golemy

Further reading

• Trubachyov, Oleg, editor (1979), “*golěmъ(jь)”, in Этимологический словарь славянских языков [Etymological dictionary of Slavic languages] (in Russian), numbers 6 (*e – *golva), Moscow: Nauka, page 202
• Georgiev, Vladimir I., editor (1971), “голям”, in Български етимологичен речник [Bulgarian Etymological Dictionary] (in Bulgarian), volume 1 (А – З), Sofia: Bulgarian Academy of Sciences Pubg. House, →ISBN, page 262
• “galė́ti”, in Lietuvių kalbos etimologinio žodyno duomenų bazė [Lithuanian etymological dictionary database], 2007–2012