Where does “smerd” come from?
smerd (English) comes from Russian смерд, from Old Church Slavonic смръдъ, from Proto-Slavic smьrdě̀ti, from Proto-Balto-Slavic smirˀdḗˀtei, from Proto-Indo-European (s)merd- — to bite, to sting.
smerd (English): A member of a class of peasants in medieval Rus',...
Definitions
- A member of a class of peasants in medieval Rus',...
Ancestry of “smerd”, step by step
smerd traces back through two separate lines of ancestry.
via Russian смерд
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Russian | смерд | a low-class peasant, smerd; peasant; serf; slave |
| 2 | Old Church Slavonic | смръдъ | someone who stinks |
| 3 | Proto-Slavic | smьrdě̀ti | to stink |
| 4 | Proto-Balto-Slavic | smirˀdḗˀtei | to stink |
| 5 | Proto-Indo-European | (s)merd- | to bite, to sting |