Vedic Words With a Root ‘Ved’

Examples of word relationships with the root “ved/vid/vod” across Indo-European languages:

Sanskrit:

  • véda (वेद) – knowledge, sacred texts
  • vidyá (विद्या) – knowledge, learning
  • vindati (विन्दति) – to find, discover
  • viveka (विवेक) – discernment, wisdom

 

Ancient Greek:

  • oida (οἶδα) – I know
  • idein (ἰδεῖν) – to see
  • eidos (εἶδος) – form, idea (the origin of the word “idea”)
  • historia (ἱστορία) – inquiry, knowledge (originally meant “to learn”)

 

Latin:

  • videre – to see
  • visio – vision, sight
  • visus – sight
  • providere – to foresee (the origin of “providence”)

 

English:

  • wit – intelligence, cleverness
  • wise – knowledgeable, sage
  • wisdom – knowledge, insight
  • vision – sight, foresight
  • guide – to lead (related to “vid”)

 

German:

  • wissen – to know
  • Weisheit – wisdom
  • bewusst – conscious

 

Russian:

  • ведать (vedat’) – to know
  • видеть (videt’) – to see
  • ведьма (ved’ma) – witch (one who “knows”)

 

Czech:

  • vědět – to know
  • vidět – to see
  • vědomí – consciousness
  • věštec – seer, prophet

 

Slovak:

  • dovednosť – skill
  • medveď – bear (knows where honey is)
  • nevedomosť – darkness, ignorance
  • odpoved – answer
  • odvededný – be escorted
  • podvedomie – subconsciousness
  • povedať – to tell
  • povedomie – cognisance
  • prevedenie – 1. accomplishment; 2. transfer
  • predpoved – prediction
  • predvedenie – performance, execution
  • svedomie – conscience
  • usvedčenie – conviction
  • uvedomiť si – realise
  • veda – 1. knowledge (same as in Sanskrit); 2. science
  • vedec – scientist
  • vedenie – 1. leadership; 2. knowledge
  • vedieť – to know
  • vedľajší – irrelevant
  • vedma – oracle
  • vedno – together
  • vedomý – wise
  • vedomie – consciousness
  • vedúci – 1. leader; 2. that one who knows
  • vidieť – to see
  • viesť – lead (somebody somewhere)
  • zavedený – established
  • zvedavosť – curiousness
  • rozvedený – divorced

 

These examples demonstrate how this fundamental Indo-European root related to knowing, knowledge, and seeing has persisted in various forms across languages from India to Europe, confirming their common linguistic origin.