Reconstruction:Proto-Slavic/vodьnikъ

This Proto-Slavic entry contains reconstructed terms and roots. As such, the term(s) in this entry are not directly attested, but are hypothesized to have existed based on comparative evidence.

Proto-Slavic

Etymology 1

Formed as *vodьnъ (“watery”) +‎ *-ikъ or equivalently *voda (“water”) +‎ *-ьnikъ. Some daughter languages make distinction between male and female water spirits, in which case *vodьnikъ m refers specifically to the male spirit, while *vodьnica f refers to the female one.

Noun

*vodьnìkъ m

1. creature, tool/agent, or vessel related to water

   → nix, undine (water spirit or demon)

   Synonym: *vodьnъ čьrtъ

   → washbasin, spring

   → water worker (person who operates with water or deals with water-related issues)

Alternative forms

• *vodьňakъ (in South Slavic)
• *vodęnъ(jь), *vodęnikъ (in East Slavic)

Declension

Declension of *vodьnikъ (hard o-stem)

	singular	dual	plural
nominative	*vodьnikъ	*vodьnika	*vodьnici
genitive	*vodьnika	*vodьniku	*vodьnikъ
dative	*vodьniku	*vodьnikoma	*vodьnikomъ
accusative	*vodьnikъ	*vodьnika	*vodьniky
instrumental	*vodьnikъmь, *vodьnikomь*	*vodьnikoma	*vodьniky
locative	*vodьnicě	*vodьniku	*vodьnicěxъ
vocative	*vodьniče	*vodьnika	*vodьnici

^* -ъmь in North Slavic, -omь in South Slavic.

Related terms

• *vodьnъ (“watery”)
  • *vodьnostь (“water content”)
  • *vodьnina (“body of water”)
  • *vodьnica
• *vydra (“otter”)
• *vědro (“bucket”)

See also

• *bukavьcь (“hydra, bukavac”)
• *boltьnikъ (“swamp spirit, bolotnik”)
• *topikъ, *topilьcь (“deep water spirit, submerger”)
• *koldьčьnikъ (“well guardian”)
• *bergyni (“shore guardian, mermaid”)
• *rusalъka (“naiad, mermaid”)

Descendants

• East Slavic:
  • Belarusian: вадзяні́к (vadzjaník)
  • Russian: во́дник (vódnik, “water carrier”)
  • ⇒ Russian: водяно́й (vodjanój, “water demon”)
    • → Serbo-Croatian: вођаној (Serbian)
  • Ukrainian: водяни́к (vodjanýk)
• South Slavic:
  • Bulgarian: водни́к (vodník), водня́к (vodnják)
  • Macedonian: водник (vodnik, “washbasin”)
  • Serbo-Croatian:

    Cyrillic script: водѐња̄к (“water spirit; white-throated dipper”)

    Latin script: vodènjāk (“water spirit; white-throated dipper”)

  • Slovene: vodnják (“water source”)
• West Slavic:
  • Czech: vodník
  • Polish: wodnik
  • Slovak: vodnik

Further reading

• Snoj, Marko (2016) “vodnják”, in Slovenski etimološki slovar [Slovenian Etymology Dictionary] (in Slovene), 3rd edition, https://fran.si

Etymology 2

From *voditi (“to lead”) +‎ *-ьnikъ.

Noun

*vodьnĩkъ m

1. guide, leader

   Synonyms: *voditeľь, *vodačь

2. ductor

Declension

Declension of *vodьnĩkъ (hard o-stem, accent paradigm b)

	singular	dual	plural
nominative	*vodьnĩkъ	*vodьnīkà	*vodьnīcì
genitive	*vodьnīkà	*vodьnīkù	*vodьnĩkъ
dative	*vodьnīkù	*vodьnīkòma	*vodьnīkòmъ
accusative	*vodьnĩkъ	*vodьnīkà	*vodьnīkỳ
instrumental	*vodьnīkъ̀mь, *vodьnīkòmь*	*vodьnīkòma	*vodьnĩky
locative	*vodьnīcě̀	*vodьnīkù	*vodьnĩcěxъ
vocative	*vodьniče	*vodьnīkà	*vodьnīcì

^* -ъmь in North Slavic, -omь in South Slavic.

Derived terms

• *jьzvodьnikъ
• *otъvodьnikъ
• *provodьnikъ
• *sъvodьnikъ (“conductor”)

Related terms

• *vodъ (“conduct, lead”)
• *voďь (“chieftain”)
• *vodьcь, *vodаčь, *vodičь (“leader”)
  • *pъlkovodьcь (“troop commander”)
• *voditeľь (“leader”)

Descendants

• South Slavic:
  • Bulgarian: во́дник (vódnik)
  • Macedonian: водник (vodnik, “sergeant”)
  • Serbo-Croatian:

    Cyrillic script: во̏днӣк

    Latin script: vȍdnīk

  • Slovene: vodník

Further reading

• Snoj, Marko (2016) “vodník”, in Slovenski etimološki slovar [Slovenian Etymology Dictionary] (in Slovene), 3rd edition, https://fran.si