*ansuz

Runic: ᚨᚾᛊᚢᛉ Pronunciation: /ˈɑn.suz/

noun · masculine · u-stem

Meanings

  1. deity, god
  2. name of the rune ᚨ (a)

Etymology

From Proto-Indo-European *h₂éms-u-s ~ *h₂m̥s-éw-s, a proterokinetic masculine u-stem traditionally derived from *h₂ems-/*h₂ens- (Kloekhorst 2008: 319–20, 327–28; Kroonen 2013: 30; Rix et al. 2001: 269). Cognate with Hittite 𒄩𒀸𒋗𒍑 (ḫa-aš-šu-uš /ḫaššuš/) and Proto-Indo-Iranian *Hásuš; compare Sanskrit असुर (ásura), a *-ro- derivative of the same u-stem (Ginevra 2024: 183, 187; Kroonen 2013: 30). On the traditional analysis, the semantic development was probably ‘offspring, one begotten’ > ‘king, lord’ > ‘god’, consistent with Anatolian derivatives of *h₂ems- belonging to the semantic field of birth and descent (Kloekhorst 2008: 319–20, 327–28; Mallory & Adams 1997: 330). Alternatively, Pinault (2019b: 295–96) connects *ansuz with Hittite 𒄩𒀸𒋗𒍑 (ḫa-aš-šu-uš /ḫaššuš/), but derives it from a separate PIE root h₂ens-, rather than from *h₂ems-/*h₂ens-.

Declension

CaseSingularPlural
Nom.ansuzansiwiz
Acc.ansųansunz
Gen.ansauzansiwǫ̂
Dat.ansiwiansumaz
Inst.ansūansumiz
Voc.ansuansiwiz

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Descendants

  • *ansu (Proto-West Germanic)
    • ōs (Old English)
    • ans (Old High German)
    • ās, ōs (Old Saxon)
  • *ᚨᛊᚢᛉ (*asuʀ) (Proto-Norse)
    • ᚨᛊᚢᚷᚨᛊᛞᛁᛉ (asugasdiʀ), ᚨᛊᚢᚷᛁᛊᚨᛚᚨᛉ (asugisalaʀ) (Proto-Norse)
  • *ᚨᛊᚢᛉ (*asuʀ) (Proto-Norse)
    • áss (Old Norse)
      • ásur (Faroese)
      • ås (Norwegian Bokmål)
      • ås (Norwegian Nynorsk)
      • ås (Swedish)
  • *ᚨᛊᚢᛉ (*asuʀ) (Proto-Norse)
    • áss (Old Norse)
      • ás (Icelandic)
        • as (Danish)
  • *ᚨᛊᚢᛉ (*asuʀ) (Proto-Norse)
    • áss (Old Norse)
      • ás (Icelandic)
        • as (Swedish)
          • aasa (Finnish)
  • *𐌰𐌽𐍃𐌿𐍃 (*ansus) (Gothic)
    • Ansis (Latin)

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