Introduction

Proto-Indo-European *h₂éwis: "bird" and Proto-Indo-European *h₂ówis: "sheep" appear to be umlaut variants, presumably through the more sparsely attested root *h₂ew-: "to put on clothes, to cover". *h₂éwis: "bird" would be from a passive participle, "a clothed (in feathers)". *h₂ówis: "sheep" from an active participle, "a clother (in wool)".

Teaser

avian, egg, oval, ocarina, caviar, ewe

Full Text

• Proto-Indo-European *h₂ew- to put on clothes, to cover

  • Proto-Indo-European *h₁én-h₂ewti to put on clothes lit. "in-clothe"

    • Anatolian

      • Hittite unu to adorn, to set (a table)
    • Hellenic

      • Ancient Greek ἐνδῠ́ω endúō I go into, I put on, I clothe
    • Italic

      • Latin induō I put on (clothes), I assume (a role)

        • Latin indūmentum garment, robe

          • Western Romance

            • Italian indumento garment
            • Spanish indumento clothing, outfit
  • Proto-Indo-European *eḱs-h₂ewti to take off clothes lit. "out-clothe"

    • Balto-Slavic

      • Lithuanian aũti to take off shoes
      • Slavic *jьzuti to take off footwear

        • East Slavic

          • Russian изу́ть izútʹ to take off shoes (dialectal)
        • South Slavic

          • Serbo-Croatian ѝзути ìzuti to take off footwear
        • West Slavic

          • Polish zuć
    • Italic

      • Latin exuō I take off, I extract, I refuse

        • Latin exuvia shed skin (of a snake), equipment stripped from a fallen enemy, booty

          • English exuvia
  • Proto-Indo-European *h₂éwtrom

    • Indo-Iranian

      • Iranian

        • Avestan 𐬀𐬊𐬚𐬭𐬀 aoθra shoe
  • Proto-Indo-European *h₂éwmn̥? clothing

    • Old Armenian ագանիմ aganim to clothe, to put on

      • Armenian հագնել hagnel to put on clothes or shoes
    • Celtic

      • Old Irish fūan coat, tunic, mantle
  • Proto-Indo-European *h₂owes covering, clothing

    • Tocharian

      • Kushean ewe skin, hide
  • Proto-Indo-European *h₂éwis bird perhaps, "one who is clothed (in feathers

    • Old Armenian հաւ haw bird, poultry

      • Armenian հավ hav chicken, hen
    • Indo-Iranian *Háwiš bird

      • Indo-Aryan *Hwíṣ bird

        • Sanskrit 𑀯𑀺 vi
      • Iranian *Hwíš

        • Avestan 𐬬𐬍𐬱 vīš bird
    • Italic *awis

      • Umbrian 𐌀𐌅𐌉𐌚 avif bird
      • Latin avis bird, omen, portent

        • Western Romance

          • French oie goose
          • Italian oca goose

            • Italian ocarina ocarina lit. "little goose"

              • English ocarina
          • Spanish ave bird
        • Latin aucellus little bird, sparrow

          • Western Romance

            • French oiseau bird ^[1]
            • Italian uccello bird
          • Medieval Latin avis prede bird of prey

            • Anglo-Norman ospriet

              • English osprey ^[2]
        • Latin auspex augur, officiating priest lit. "bird-watcher"

          • Latin auspicium divination, augury, sign, auspices

            • English auspice
        • Latin augur augur, diviner ^[3]
        • English avian
        • Translingual Aves
    • Proto-Indo-European *(s)h₂wyetós

      • Albanian shotë big duck
      • Celtic *sawyetos duck

        • Brythonic *swɨad

          • Welsh hwyad duck
      • Hellenic *awieto

        • Ancient Greek ᾱ̓ετός āetós eagle, omen

          • Greek αετός aetós eagle

            • Greek χαρταετός chartaetós kite lit. "paper eagle"
    • Proto-Indo-European *h₂wéyteh₂

      • Proto-Albanian *(a)weitā

        • Albanian vito dove, woodpigeon
    • Proto-Indo-European *h₂wísteh₂

      • Balto-Slavic *wištā

        • Lithuanian vištà chicken
    • Proto-Indo-European *h₂ōwyóm egg

      • Proto-Armenian *yō(w)yo-

        • Old Armenian ձու ju egg

          • Armenian ձու ju egg, testicle
      • Balto-Slavic

        • Slavic *jȃje egg

          • South Slavic

            • Serbo-Croatian ја́је jáje egg, testicle
          • West Slavic

            • Polish jajo egg, testicle
          • Slavic *jajьce egg diminutive

            • East Slavic

              • Russian яйцо́ jajcó egg, testicle
            • South Slavic

              • Serbo-Croatian ја́јце jájce egg, testicle
            • West Slavic

              • Polish jajko egg
      • Celtic *āuyom

        • Brythonic

          • Welsh wy egg
      • Germanic *ajją egg

        • East Germanic

          • Gothic 𐌰𐌳𐌳𐌹 addi
          • Crimean Gothic ada egg
        • North Germanic

          • Old Norse egg

            • Danish æg egg
            • Icelandic egg egg, oval
            • English egg
        • West Germanic *ajjaz

          • Old English ǣġ egg

            • Middle English ey egg

              • Middle English cokenay

                • English Cockney
          • Frankish *ei

            • Dutch ei egg
          • Old High German ei egg

            • German Ei egg, testicle, money, fool
            • Yiddish איי ey egg, testicle
      • Hellenic *ōyyón egg

        • Ancient Greek ᾠόν ōión egg, seed

          • Ancient Greek τὰ ᾠά tà ōiá the eggs

            • Greek τ' αβγά t' avgá the eggs

              • Greek αβγό avgó egg back formation
      • Indo-Iranian *āwja-(ka)

        • Iranian

          • Avestan 𐬀𐬉𐬨 aēm
          • Pashto هګۍ hëgëy egg
          • Northern Iranian

            • Scythian

              • Ossetian айк ajk egg
          • Western Iranian

            • Northwestern Iranian

              • Kurdish hêk egg
            • Old Persian

              • Persian خایه xâye egg, testicle

                • Persian خاویار xâvyâr caviar

                  • Ottoman Turkish خاویار havyar caviar

                    • Turkish havyar caviar
                    • Greek χαβιάρι chaviári caviar

                      • Arabic خِبْيَارِيّ ḵibyāriyy caviar
                    • Italian caviale caviar
                    • Venetian caviaro caviar

                      • French caviar

                        • English caviar
                        • Arabic كَافْيَار kafyār caviar
      • Italic *ōwom

        • Latin ōvum egg

          • Sardinian obu egg
          • Eastern Romance

            • Romanian ou egg, testicle
          • Western Romance

            • French œuf egg
            • Italian uovo egg
            • Spanish huevo egg, testicle
          • Latin ovālis to do with eggs

            • Western Romance

              • French ovale oval

                • English oval
              • Italian ovale oval
              • Spanish óvalo oval
  • Proto-Indo-European *h₂ówis sheep perhaps, "one who provides clothes"

    • Anatolian

      • Hittite 𒇻𒅖 ḫāwis sheep
      • Lycian 𐊜𐊀𐊇𐊙 χawã sheep
    • Balto-Slavic *awis sheep

      • Lithuanian avìs sheep
      • Balto-Slavic *awinas ram

        • Lithuanian ãvinas ram
        • Slavic *ovьnъ

          • East Slavic

            • Russian ове́н ovén ram
          • South Slavic

            • Serbo-Croatian о́ван óvan ram
          • West Slavic

            • Polish owien ram
        • Finnic *oinas ram

          • Finnish oinas ram
      • Balto-Slavic *awikāˀ ewe

        • Slavic *ovьcà

          • East Slavic

            • Russian овца́ ovcá sheep, ewe
          • South Slavic

            • Serbo-Croatian о́вца óvca sheep
          • West Slavic

            • Polish owca sheep, ewe
    • Celtic *owis

      • Old Irish oí sheep
    • Germanic *awiz sheep, ewe

      • North Germanic

        • Old Norse ær ewe

          • Icelandic ær ewe
      • West Germanic

        • Old English ēowu ewe

          • English ewe
          • Scots yowe
        • Frankish *ōi

          • Dutch ooi ewe
        • Old High German awi

          • German Aue ewe
      • Germanic *awidjã flock of sheep

        • East Germanic

          • Gothic 𐌰𐍅𐌴𐌸𐌹 awēþi flock of sheep
        • West Germanic

          • Old English ēowede flock of sheep
          • Old High German ouwiti
      • Germanic *awistrã sheepfold

        • East Germanic

          • Gothic 𐌰𐍅𐌹𐍃𐍄𐍂 awistr sheepfold
        • West Germanic

          • Old English ēwestre sheepfold
          • Old High German ouwist sheepfold
    • Hellenic

      • Ancient Greek οἶς oîs sheep
    • Indo-Iranian *Háwiš

      • Indo-Aryan

        • Sanskrit 𑀅𑀯𑀺 ávi sheep, ewe
      • Iranian

        • Western Iranian

          • Old Persian

            • Persian عفه afe sheepskin (coat)
    • Italic *owis

      • Umbrian 𐌖𐌅𐌄𐌌 uvem sheep
      • Latin ovis sheep

        • Eastern Romance

          • Romanian oaie sheep, ewe
        • Translingual Ovis
        • Latin ovicula little sheep

          • Western Romance

            • French ouaille ewe, flock
            • Spanish oveja sheep
        • Latin ovīnus ovine, to do with sheep

          • Eastern Romance

            • Romanian oină ram meat
          • English ovine
          • French ovin ovine
          • Italian ovino ovine
          • Spanish ovino ovine
    • Tocharian

      • Kushean *ā(u)w

        • Kushean awi ewes
    • Proto-Indo-European *h₂owipeh₂? sheep-protecter

      • Old Armenian հովիւ hoviw shepherd, herdsman, pastor

        • Armenian հովիվ hoviv shepherd, herdsman

Visual

Collected English words

exuvia, ocarina, osprey, auspice, avian, Aves, egg, Cockney, caviar, oval, ewe, Ovis, ovine

Footnotes

1. ^

   But interestingly French oiseau (Old French oisel, Old Occitan auzel) is not the origin of English ouzel: "blackbird", which comes from Germanic *amslǭ: "blackbird", and related to Welsh mwyalch and Latin merula among other Northwestern IE words meaning "blackbird".

2. ^

   The meaning of osprey shifted from "bird of prey" generally to a specific bird under influence of French ossifrage, Latin ossifragus: "osprey" (lit. "bone-breaker").

3. ^

   Latin augur is of unknown origin. I would dismiss the avis-garriō: "bird talker" as folk etymology, if there wasn't also auspex: "bird-watcher".