Indo-European

1 of 2

adjective

In·​do-Eu·​ro·​pe·​an ˌin-dō-ˌyu̇r-ə-ˈpē-ən How to pronounce Indo-European (audio)
: of, relating to, or constituting the Indo-European languages

Indo-European

2 of 2

noun

1
a
: a member of the people speaking an unrecorded prehistoric language from which the Indo-European languages are descended
b
: this language
2

Examples of Indo-European in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
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Adjective
These words might be connected to an earlier Indo-European root related to burning or heat, since brass is made by smelting copper and zinc, though this is not definitively established. Erik Kain, Forbes, 11 Sep. 2024 The newfound mobility of these early riders, the story goes, helped catalyze huge migrations across the continent, distributing ancestral Indo-European languages and cultures across Eurasia. William Taylor, The Conversation, 3 Sep. 2024 Another 30% speak an Asian language and 10% speak an Indo-European language. Ray Chavez, The Mercury News, 4 July 2024 The Celts — an Indo-European people who lived across much of the European continent — were famous for leaving weapons and tools in places for deities. Brendan Rascius, Miami Herald, 18 June 2024 Nazi race theorists took these ideas one step further by fixing the Indo-European homeland in northern Germany proper, propelling fantasies of a fresh wave of Aryan conquest. Maya Jasanoff, The New Yorker, 6 May 2024 Germany was the birthplace of Indo-European culture, the Nazis believed, so Germans really were the master race. William Deresiewicz, The Atlantic, 2 Apr. 2024 Researchers found the new Indo-European language on a religious ritual tablet. Sean Mowbray, Discover Magazine, 21 Nov. 2023 Its roots can be primarily found in the languages that form the Germanic and Indo-European language families. Erik Kain, Forbes, 12 Nov. 2023

Word History

First Known Use

Adjective

1813, in the meaning defined above

Noun

1832, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Time Traveler
The first known use of Indo-European was in 1813

Dictionary Entries Near Indo-European

Cite this Entry

“Indo-European.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/Indo-European. Accessed 28 Nov. 2024.

Kids Definition

Indo-European

1 of 2 adjective
In·​do-Eu·​ro·​pe·​an
ˌin-dō-ˌyu̇r-ə-ˈpē-ən
: of, relating to, or being a family of languages including those spoken in most of Europe and in the parts of the world colonized by Europeans since 1500 and also in Persia, the subcontinent of India, and some other parts of Asia

Indo-European

2 of 2 noun
1
: the Indo-European languages
2
: a member of a people who originally spoke an Indo-European language

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