*abô

Probably from pre-Germanic *h₃ép-on- ~ *h₃ep-n-, an animate n-stem internal derivative of the Proto-Indo-European heteroclitic *h₃óp-r̥ ~ *h₃ép-n- (Johnsen 2005b: 258–60; Rieken 1999: 315–18). The key evidence is Gothic 𐌰𐌱𐌰 (aba), whose rare genitive plural 𐌰𐌱𐌽𐌴 (abnē) and dative plural 𐌰𐌱𐌽𐌰𐌼 (abnam) preserve the zero-grade *-n- of the inherited n-stem. Semantically, ‘possessor of wealth/property’ > ‘male head of household’ > ‘husband’ is straightforward (Johnsen 2005b: 251–60). Indo-European comparanda include Vedic Sanskrit अप्नस् (ápnas-), Hittite 𒄩𒀊𒁉𒈾 (ḫa-ap-pí-na- /ḫappina-/), and Latin opulentus, all belonging to the same PIE *h₃ep-/*h₃op- complex (Kloekhorst 2008: 295–97; Watkins 2011: s.v. op-). A purely inner-Germanic derivation from a lost Strong class 6 verb **afaną (‘to do, make, perform’) remains possible, but it requires a longer semantic path: ‘worker/performer’ > ‘farmer/householder’ > ‘husband’.