Definition: Proto-Indo-European language (PIE or P.I.E.) is not an actual language but a reconstructed language that is presumed to be the ancestor of modern Indo-European languages. The study of Proto-Indo-European began when philologists in the 18th century noticed that various seemingly unrelated languages had words in common. Regularities were noticed and systematically analyzed using the Comparative Method. The changes that produced the Germanic languages, like English, are described in Grimm's Law. The original speakers of an Indo-European language are thought to have lived 5000 B.C.
Also Known As: *IE
Alternate Spellings: (Proto) Indo-European, Proto Indo-European
Examples:
When people talk about etymology, they often refer to a speculative PIE root.
