*ansaz

Of uncertain origin; no non-Germanic Indo-European cognate can be established securely. Proto-Germanic *ansa- ~ anza- is reflected in Old Norse áss and Gothic 𐌰𐌽𐍃 (ans), whose oblique stem appears as 𐌰𐌽𐌶- (anz-) ; Finnish ansas is an early Germanic loan and thus confirms the antiquity of the Germanic noun rather than providing an independent cognate (Blažek 2023: 11; Kroonen 2013: 30; Ringe 2017: 302). Kroonen regards proposed connections with *amsaz, Latin onus, and Latin asser as problematic. Neri (2009: 9) proposes instead Proto-Indo-European h₁onh₃-s-o-, comparing Latin onus, Sanskrit अनस् (ánas), and Ancient Greek ὄνος (ónos), but Ringe (2017: 302) still regards the etymology as obscure. Neri’s derivation should remain tentative, particularly since Beekes (2010: 430, s.v. ἔνοσις) rejects the *h₁enh₃- root analysis on which this comparison was based. The formally tempting comparison with Latin ānsa, Ancient Greek ἡνία (hēnía), Lithuanian ąsà, and Old Prussian ansis is better kept with *ansijō; this group is commonly traced to Proto-Indo-European *h₂emseh₂, from *h₂em-, but its connection to *ansaz remains uncertain (Beekes 2010: s.v. ἡνία; Kroonen 2013: 30; de Vaan 2008: 44). See also *ansijō.