dem-

House, household.

Derivatives include dome, domestic, and timber.

1. Suffixed o-grade form *dom-o-, *dom-u-, house.

a. dome, domestic, domicile; major-domo, from Latin domus, house;

b. suffixed form *dom-o-no-. dame, Dan², danger, Dom, domain, dominate, dominical, dominie, dominion, domino¹, domino², don¹, Donna, dungeon; belladonna, duende, Madam, Madame, Mademoiselle, Madonna, predominate, from Latin dominus, master of a household (feminine domina).

2. Possibly suffixed lengthened-grade form *dōm-n̥. dome, from Greek dōma, house.

3. Compound *dems-pot-, “house-master” (*-pot-, powerful; see poti-). Despina, despot, from Greek despotēs, master, lord, and feminine despoina, lady, queen, mistress (< *dems-pot-nya).

4. Root form *dem(ə₂)-, to build (possibly a separate root).

a. timber, from Old English timber, building material, lumber, from Germanic *timram;

b. toft, from Old Norse topt, homestead, from Germanic *tumftō.

 

[Pokorny dem- 198.]

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