Proto-Indo-European

*spey-

‘to expand, extend, stretch’

Every word has its own definition in its root. These English words share one: Proto-Indo-European *spey-.

40 English words in this record descend from Proto-Indo-European *spey-, most familiar first.

• spike ← spík ← *spīkō
• spine ← spyne ← espine ← spīna ← *speinā
• spinal ← spīnālis ← spīna ← *speinā
• spinach ← spinache ← espinoche ← espinarc ← إِسْفَانَاخ
• spire ← spīr ← *spīrō
• asp ← aspe ← aspe ← aspis ← ἀσπίς
• cusp ← cuspis ← curis
• spina ← *speinā
• spigot ← espigeot ← spīca ← *speikā
• spica ← *speikā
• spinel ← spinelle ← spina ← *speinā
• aspic ← aspis ← ἀσπίς ← σπίζω ← *speyd-

More words from *spey-

• buckthorn
• spinney
• spinny
• spinous
• spinet
• cuspid
• spinose
• spile
• spicule
• aspis
• aspidium
• cuspidate
• cuspis
• endaspidean
• epinglette
• exaspidean
• holaspidean
• hyperaspist
• protaspis
• shpilkes
• spinescent
• spiculum
• spicula
• spicate
• spinula
• spinule
• spiciform
• spinigrade

Etymograph / Proto-Indo-European *spey-