This Proto-Germanic entry contains reconstructed words and roots. As such, the term(s) in this entry are not directly attested, but are hypothesized to have existed based on comparative evidence.

Etymology [ edit ]

From Latin elephantus (“elephant”), from Ancient Greek ἐλέφας (eléphas, “elephant, ivory”), ultimately from a Semitic root.

The noun is common to the West Germanic languages (it predates the Anglo-Saxon migration and the High German sound shift). It may be even earlier since it has *p and not *f for Latin ph, which was pronounced as [p] until the 1st century AD.

The Greek and Latin word for "elephant" seems to have been borrowed into Germanic in a different form as well, see Proto-Germanic *ulbanduz. However, this word has a distinct form and meaning ("camel") in the daughter languages.

Pronunciation [ edit ]

Noun [ edit ]

*elpanduz m (West Germanic)

Inflection [ edit ]

u-stem Declension of *elpanduz (u-stem) singular plural nominative *elpanduz *elpandiwiz vocative *elpandu *elpandiwiz accusative *elpandų *elpandunz genitive *elpandauz *elpandiwǫ̂ dative *elpandiwi *elpandumaz instrumental *elpandū *elpandumiz

Descendants [ edit ]