Meanings
proper noun
- uncountablehuman sciencesThe reconstructed ancestor language or protolanguage of the Indo-European family of languages, which includes most European, Iranian, and Indian languages.
The word mother comes from Proto-Indo-European *méh₂tēr.
2 more examples
The plural English word brethren and the Farsi word that is pronounced as 'baradaran' both come from the same Proto-Indo-European root word.
The Greek and Sanskrit languages (along with many other languages of ancient Eurasia) evince correspondences explained by their descent from a common ancestor, Proto-Indo-European (PIE).
2025 December 12, Tom Hercules Davies, “Horses, Wheels, Languages: Greek, Mesopotamian and Indic Epic on the Eurasian Steppe”, in The Classical Quarterly, volume 75, number 1, page 5Synonyms: Indo-European, Indo-Germanic, Proto-Indo-Germanic
adjectiveProto-Indo-European (not comparable)
- not comparableanthropologyOf or pertaining to the Proto-Indo-European language, or the people who spoke it.
Synonyms & antonyms
proper nounThe reconstructed ancestor language or protolanguage of the Indo-European family of languages, which includes most European, Iranian, and Indian languages.
nounA person who spoke the Proto-Indo-European language.
Similar
Also see
Origin
- Proto-Indo-European*per-der.?
- Proto-Indo-European*pér
- Proto-Indo-European*pró
- Ancient Greekπρό (pró)
- Ancient Greekπρῶτος (prôtos)
- Ancient Greekπρωτο- (prōto-)
- Englishproto-
- EnglishIndo-European
- EnglishProto-Indo-European
From proto- + Indo-European.
Full word history & related roots →Translations
Basque Aitzinindoeuropera
- Aitzinindoeuroperaancestor language of most European and Indian languages
Bulgarian индоевропе́йски пра́език
- индоевропе́йски пра́език (indoevropéjski práezik)ancestor language of most European and Indian languages
Catalan protoindoeuropeu
- protoindoeuropeuancestor language of most European and Indian languages
Chinese Mandarin 原始印歐語 /原始印欧语
- 原始印歐語 /原始印欧语 (Yuánshǐ Yìn-Ōuyǔ)ancestor language of most European and Indian languages
Czech praindoevropština, praindoevropský
- praindoevropštinaancestor language of most European and Indian languages
- praindoevropskýpertaining to the Proto-Indo-European language, or the people who spoke it — see also Indo-European
Danish protoindoeuropæisk, urindoeuropæisk
- protoindoeuropæiskancestor language of most European and Indian languages
- urindoeuropæiskancestor language of most European and Indian languages
Dutch Proto-Indo-Europees, Proto-Indo-Europeaan
- Proto-Indo-Europeesancestor language of most European and Indian languages
- Proto-Indo-Europeaanperson who spoke the Proto-Indo-European language
- Proto-Indo-Europeespertaining to the Proto-Indo-European language, or the people who spoke it — see also Indo-European
Esperanto hindeŭropa pralingvo
- hindeŭropa pralingvoancestor language of most European and Indian languages
Finnish indoeurooppalainen kantakieli, kantaindoeurooppa
- indoeurooppalainen kantakieliancestor language of most European and Indian languages
- kantaindoeurooppaancestor language of most European and Indian languages
- kantaindoeurooppalainenperson who spoke the Proto-Indo-European language
French indo-européen commun, indoeuropéen
- indo-européen communancestor language of most European and Indian languages
- indoeuropéenancestor language of most European and Indian languages
- Indo-européenperson who spoke the Proto-Indo-European language
- Indoeuropéenperson who spoke the Proto-Indo-European language
- indoeuropéenpertaining to the Proto-Indo-European language, or the people who spoke it — see also Indo-European
German Indogermanisch, Urindogermanisch
- Indogermanischancestor language of most European and Indian languages
- Urindogermanischancestor language of most European and Indian languages
- Urindogermaneperson who spoke the Proto-Indo-European language
- urindogermanischpertaining to the Proto-Indo-European language, or the people who spoke it — see also Indo-European
- indogermanischpertaining to the Proto-Indo-European language, or the people who spoke it — see also Indo-European
Greek πρωτοϊνδοευρωπαϊκά
- πρωτοϊνδοευρωπαϊκά (protoïndoevropaïká)ancestor language of most European and Indian languages
Hebrew פרוטו־הודו־אירופית
- פרוטו־הודו־אירופית (próto-hódu-eirópit)ancestor language of most European and Indian languages
Hindi आदिम-भारोपीय, आदिम-हिन्द-यूरोपीय
- आदिम-भारोपीय (ādim-bhāropīya)ancestor language of most European and Indian languages
- आदिम-हिन्द-यूरोपीय (ādim-hind-yūropīya)ancestor language of most European and Indian languages
- आदिम-हिन्द-यूरोपीय (ādim-hind-yūropīya)person who spoke the Proto-Indo-European language
- आदिम-भारोपीय (ādim-bhāropīya)person who spoke the Proto-Indo-European language
- आदिम-हिन्द-यूरोपीय (ādim-hind-yūropīya)pertaining to the Proto-Indo-European language, or the people who spoke it — see also Indo-European
- आदिम-भारोपीय (ādim-bhāropīya)pertaining to the Proto-Indo-European language, or the people who spoke it — see also Indo-European
Hungarian indoeurópai alapnyelv, indoeurópai
- indoeurópai alapnyelvancestor language of most European and Indian languages
- indoeurópaiperson who spoke the Proto-Indo-European language
- indoeurópaipertaining to the Proto-Indo-European language, or the people who spoke it — see also Indo-European
Icelandic frumindóevrópska, frumindóevrópskur
- frumindóevrópskaancestor language of most European and Indian languages
- frumindóevrópskurpertaining to the Proto-Indo-European language, or the people who spoke it — see also Indo-European
Irish Próta-Ind-Eorpais, Próta-Ind-Eorpach
- Próta-Ind-Eorpaisancestor language of most European and Indian languages
- Próta-Ind-Eorpachperson who spoke the Proto-Indo-European language
- Próta-Ind-Eorpachpertaining to the Proto-Indo-European language, or the people who spoke it — see also Indo-European
Italian protoindoeuropeo
- protoindoeuropeoancestor language of most European and Indian languages
Japanese 印欧祖語, インド・ヨーロッパ祖語
- 印欧祖語 (in'ō sogo)ancestor language of most European and Indian languages
- インド・ヨーロッパ祖語 (indo-yōroppa sogo)ancestor language of most European and Indian languages
Korean 인도유럽조어, 원시인구어
- 인도유럽조어 (indoyureopjo'eo)ancestor language of most European and Indian languages
- 원시인구어 (wonsiin'gueo)ancestor language of most European and Indian languages
Latin lingua indogermanica, lingua prisca indoeuropaea
- lingua indogermanicaancestor language of most European and Indian languages
- lingua prisca indoeuropaeaancestor language of most European and Indian languages
Lithuanian indoeuropiečių prokalbė, indoeuropietis
- indoeuropiečių prokalbėancestor language of most European and Indian languages
- indoeuropietisperson who spoke the Proto-Indo-European language
- indoeuropietėperson who spoke the Proto-Indo-European language
Norwegian protoindoeuropeisk
- protoindoeuropeiskancestor language of most European and Indian languages
Norwegian Bokmål urindoeuropeisk, urindoeuropeisk
- urindoeuropeiskancestor language of most European and Indian languages
- urindoeuropeiskpertaining to the Proto-Indo-European language, or the people who spoke it — see also Indo-European
Persian نیاهندواروپایی, نیاهندواروپاییزبان
- نیاهندواروپایی (niyâ-hendo-orupâyi)ancestor language of most European and Indian languages
- نیاهندواروپاییزبان (niyâ-hendo-orupâyi-zabân)person who spoke the Proto-Indo-European language
- نیا-هندواروپایی (niyâ-hendo-orupâyi)pertaining to the Proto-Indo-European language, or the people who spoke it — see also Indo-European
Polish język praindoeuropejski, Praindoeuropejczyk
- język praindoeuropejskiancestor language of most European and Indian languages
- Praindoeuropejczykperson who spoke the Proto-Indo-European language
- Praindoeuropejkaperson who spoke the Proto-Indo-European language
- praindoeuropejskipertaining to the Proto-Indo-European language, or the people who spoke it — see also Indo-European
Portuguese protoindo-europeu, protoindo-europeu
- protoindo-europeuancestor language of most European and Indian languages
- protoindo-europeupertaining to the Proto-Indo-European language, or the people who spoke it — see also Indo-European
Romanian limba proto-indo-europeană, stră-indoeuropeană
- limba proto-indo-europeanăancestor language of most European and Indian languages
- stră-indoeuropeanăancestor language of most European and Indian languages
- indoeuropeanperson who spoke the Proto-Indo-European language
- indoeuropeanăperson who spoke the Proto-Indo-European language
- stră-indoeuropeanpertaining to the Proto-Indo-European language, or the people who spoke it — see also Indo-European
- proto-indoeuropeanpertaining to the Proto-Indo-European language, or the people who spoke it — see also Indo-European
Russian праиндоевропе́йский язы́к, праиндоевропе́ец
- праиндоевропе́йский язы́к (praindojevropéjskij jazýk)ancestor language of most European and Indian languages
- праиндоевропе́ец (praindojevropéjec)person who spoke the Proto-Indo-European language
- праиндоевропе́йский (praindojevropéjskij)pertaining to the Proto-Indo-European language, or the people who spoke it — see also Indo-European
Slovak praindoeurópčina
- praindoeurópčinaancestor language of most European and Indian languages
Spanish protoindoeuropeo, protoindoeuropeo
- protoindoeuropeoancestor language of most European and Indian languages
- protoindoeuropeoperson who spoke the Proto-Indo-European language
- protoindoeuropeopertaining to the Proto-Indo-European language, or the people who spoke it — see also Indo-European
Swedish urindoeuropeiska, protoindoeuropeiska
- urindoeuropeiskaancestor language of most European and Indian languages
- protoindoeuropeiskaancestor language of most European and Indian languages
- indoeuropeiska urspråketancestor language of most European and Indian languages
- urindoeuropeiskpertaining to the Proto-Indo-European language, or the people who spoke it — see also Indo-European
- protoindoeuropeiskpertaining to the Proto-Indo-European language, or the people who spoke it — see also Indo-European
Turkish Proto-Hint-Avrupaca, Proto-Hint-Avrupalı
- Proto-Hint-Avrupacaancestor language of most European and Indian languages
- Proto-Hint-Avrupalıperson who spoke the Proto-Indo-European language
- Proto-Hint-Avrupa grubuna aitpertaining to the Proto-Indo-European language, or the people who spoke it — see also Indo-European
- Proto-Hint-Avrupa grubundanpertaining to the Proto-Indo-European language, or the people who spoke it — see also Indo-European
Ukrainian праіндоєвропе́йська, праіндоєвропе́єць
- праіндоєвропе́йська (praindojevropéjsʹka)ancestor language of most European and Indian languages
- праіндоєвропе́єць (praindojevropéjecʹ)person who spoke the Proto-Indo-European language
- праіндоєвропе́йка (praindojevropéjka)person who spoke the Proto-Indo-European language
- праіндоєвропе́йський (praindojevropéjsʹkyj)pertaining to the Proto-Indo-European language, or the people who spoke it — see also Indo-European
Urdu اَوَّلِی ہِنْد یُورَپِی
- اَوَّلِی ہِنْد یُورَپِی (avvalī-hind-yūrapī)ancestor language of most European and Indian languages
Welsh Proto-Indo-Ewropeg
- Proto-Indo-Ewropegancestor language of most European and Indian languages
Cite this entry
APA
Proto-Indo-European. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 2, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/Proto-Indo-European
MLA
“Proto-Indo-European.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/Proto-Indo-European. Accessed November 2, 2026.
Chicago
WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “Proto-Indo-European,” accessed November 2, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/Proto-Indo-European.
Source: Proto-Indo-European on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.