dri (Cornish)
Where does "dri" come from?
The Cornish verb 'dri', meaning 'to bring' or 'to persuade', is formed from a prefix combined with the root 'ri' meaning 'to give'[1]. The prefix originates from Middle Cornish 'de' and Old Cornish 'doy', tracing back through Proto-Indo-European[2]. Meanwhile, the element 'ri' comes from Middle Cornish 'ry', which descends from Proto-Brythonic '*rroɣid' and Proto-Celtic '*rogīti'[3][4]. Ultimately, this Celtic root goes back to a Proto-Indo-European causative formation meaning 'to straighten'[6].
Open questions
- The etymological connection between the prefix and the root to form dri is considered possible rather than certain. [1]
- The exact reconstruction and phonetic development of the Proto-Indo-European root underlying the prefix are subject to multiple competing proposals. [5]
Full etymology tree
- dri (Cornish), 'to bring'
- prefix de- (Cornish)
- affix ri (Cornish), 'to give'
- inherited ry (Middle Cornish), 'to give'
- inherited *rroɣid (Proto-Brythonic)
- inherited *rogīti (Proto-Celtic), 'to stretch, extend (something else)'
- derived *h₃roǵéyeti (Proto-Indo-European), 'to straighten, to make straight, to cause to be straight'
- affix *h₃reǵ- (Proto-Indo-European), 'to straighten'
- suffix *-éyeti (Proto-Indo-European), 'Forms causative imperfective verbs from roots.'
- derived *h₃roǵéyeti (Proto-Indo-European), 'to straighten, to make straight, to cause to be straight'
- inherited *rogīti (Proto-Celtic), 'to stretch, extend (something else)'
- inherited *rroɣid (Proto-Brythonic)
- inherited ry (Middle Cornish), 'to give'
Ancestors
- de (Cornish)
- ri (Cornish)
Sources
- dri (Cornish) - Wiktionary
- de (Cornish) - Wiktionary
- ri (Cornish) - Wiktionary
- ry (Middle Cornish) - Wiktionary
- dʰǵʰyés (Proto-Indo-European) - Wiktionary
- rogīti (Proto-Celtic) - Wiktionary
- h₃roǵéyeti (Proto-Indo-European) - Wiktionary
Updated October 2026
Etymology data from Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0 · About Miraris