# List of reconstructed Dacian words

This article contains a list of reconstructed words of the ancient Dacian language. They have been restored by some linguists from attested place and personal names (toponyms and anthroponyms) from the historical region of Dacia.
In the case of words reconstructed from onomastic evidence, the original meanings ascribed to the names in question are derived from examination of closely cognate words and placenames in other Indo-European languages, complemented by analysis of the historical evolution of such placenames. However, the results are hypothetical and subject, in many cases, to divergent etymological interpretations.
Reconstructions derived from Romanian and Albanian words that have not been attested to be Dacian or that have not been documented in Dacian territory are speculatively based on the unproven theory that Dacian constitutes the main linguistic substratum of Romanian and a closely related language to Albanian, a circular method criticised by mainstream historical linguistics.

## Reconstruction of words from place and personal names
### Methodology

Both Georgiev and Duridanov use the comparative linguistic method to decipher ancient Thracian and Dacian names, respectively.
Georgiev argues that one can reliably decipher the meaning of an ancient place-name in an unknown language by comparing it to its successor-names and to cognate place-names and words in other IE languages, both ancient and modern. He gives several examples of his methodology, of which one is summarised here:
The city and river (a tributary of the Danube) in eastern Romania called Cernavodă. In Slavic, the name means "black water". The same town in Antiquity was known as Άξίοπα (Axiopa) or Άξιούπολις (Axioupolis) and its river as the Άξιος (Axios). The working assumption is, therefore, that Axiopa means "black water" in Dacian. According to the known rules of formation of IE composite words, this breaks down as axi = "black" and opa or upa = "water" in Dacian (the -polis element is ignored, as it is a Greek suffix meaning "city"). The assumption is then validated by examining cognate placenames. The axi element is validated by a tributary of the Vardar called the Axios, which is today known as Crna reka (located in Republic of Macedonia "black river") and by the older Greek name for the Black Sea, Άξεινος πόντος (Axeinos pontos, later altered to the euphemism Euxeinos pontos = "Hospitable sea"). The opa/upa element is validated by the Lithuanian cognate upė ("river"). This etymology is questioned by Russu: Axiopa, a name attested only in Procopius' De Aedificiis, may be a corrupt form of Axiopolis. Even if correct, however, Russu's objection does not invalidate the decipherment of the axi- element.
Apart from Duridanov and Georgiev, other scholars have attempted to reconstruct Dacian and Thracian words. Russu (1967) attempted to decipher Thracian and Dacian onomastic elements (placenames and personal names) by reference to presumed proto-Indo-European roots-words. Georgiev considers such a methodology (known as Wurzeletymologien = "root-etymologies") to be "devoid of scientific value". This is because the root-words themselves are reconstructions, which are in some cases disputed and in all cases subject to uncertainty; multiple root-words can often explain the same word; and the list of proposed IE root-words may not be complete. Reichenkron (1966) assumed that so-called "substratum" words in Romanian (those whose etymology cannot be ascribed to any of the fully documented languages that have influenced Romanian: Latin, Slavic, Hungarian, Greek, Turkish etc.) are of Dacian origin. But Polomé considers that such a methodology is not reliable. This is because there is no guarantee that the substratum words are, in fact, Dacian. Instead, they could derive from other, unknown or little-known tongues at some period current in Dacia or Moesia: for example, possible pre-Indo-European language(s) of the Carpathians.

### Methodological problems

The methodology used by Georgiev and Duridanov has been questioned on a number of grounds, including:
* The phonetic systems of Dacian and Thracian and their evolution are not reconstructed from elements derived directly from the ancient languages in question but from their approximative Greek and Latin transcripts. For example, Greek and Latin had no dedicated graphic signs for phonemes such as č, ġ, ž, š and others. Thus, if a Thracian or Dacian word contained such a phoneme, a Greek or Latin transcript would not represent it accurately. This could result in the wrong cognate being selected to decipher the Dacian name.
* The etymologies that are adduced to validate the proposed Dacian and Thracian vowel- and consonant- changes (that are, in turn, used for word-reconstruction by the comparative method) are open to divergent interpretations, since the material is strictly onomastic, with the exception of Dacian plant-names and of the limited number of glosses. Because of this, there are divergent and even contradictory assumptions for the phonological structure and development of the Dacian and Thracian languages. Polomé (1982) notes that, in the case of personal names, the choice of etymology is often based on such assumed phonological rules.
* Dana argues that both Georgiev and Duridanov ignore the context of the names and start from arbitrary assumptions, such as considering a name to be of Dacian origin simply because it is attested in Dacia. In Dana's opinion, the Dacian origin of some of the names is doubtful or even excluded. Also, Duridanov's method is unreliable because most of the names he considers are unique.
* Dana questions the validity of the Baltic etymologies used to decipher the Dacian names.
* According to Messing, Duridanov's results are in contradiction with the reconstruction of a Balto-Slavic language group, as they show many parallels between Dacian and Baltic, but only a few with Slavic languages. (This objection is irrelevant if Baltic and Slavic constitute separate branches of IE (i.e. "Balto-Slavic" never existed, as some linguists maintain); or if, as Duridanov argues, Dacian acquired Baltic words through long-term proximity interaction with Baltic languages, rather than through a genetic link).
Despite these objections, Georgiev and Duridanov claim a high degree of reliability for their reconstructions. However, Polomé (1982), in his survey of the state of research into paleo-Balkan languages for Cambridge Ancient History, considers that only "20–25 Dacian, and 40–45 Thracian words have had reasonable, but not certain, Indo-European etymologies proposed". This compares with c. 100 Dacian words reconstructed by Duridanov, and c. 200 Thracian words by Georgiev.

## Reconstructed Dacian words
### Key

* PN: placename
* RN: river name
* PRN: personal name
* TN: tribal name
* LN: lake name
* SN: swamp name
* MN: mountain name
* FN: field name
* PLN: plant name
TABLE A: ATTESTED DACIAN WORDS (exc Dacian plant names) :
| Dacian word | Meaning | Attestation | Ancient cognates | Modern cognates | Notes |
| dava | city, settlement | e.g. PN Rusidava | | | |
| per | son (child) | inscription Decebal per Scorilo ("Decebal son of Scorilus") | Thrac. -por ("son of": PRN Mucapor = "son of Muka") Iranic -pur (e.g. Shapur = "son of the king" Latin puer ("boy") | Alb. bir ("son") Lith. bernas ("lad"), peras ("whelp"), Latv. bērns ("child"), Rom."prichindel"("small child") | |
| -zila or -dila | plant, herb (bot.) | Dacian plant-names | Gaulish dula ("leaf") | Lith. žolė Latv. zāle | Per Georgiev, the suffixes -dela, -dil(l)a, -zila and -tilia indicate names of medicinal plants. |
TABLE B: DACIAN WORDS RECONSTRUCTED FROM ANCIENT NAMES :
| Reconstructed Dacian word | Meaning | Attestation | Possible Indo-European root-word(s) | Ancient cognates (same meaning unless stated) | Modern cognates (same meaning unless stated) | Cognate placenames | Notes |
| *aba, apa | water, river | RN *Calabaeus, river in Scythia Minor RN Apos | *ab- ("water", "river") It derived from akwa (shift kw>p, gw>b) | Latin amnis (der.< arch. Latin *abnis), Old Persian ap- ("river") | Old Pr. ape ("river") Lith: Upė, Latv. upe ("river"), Romanian: apă, Alb. amë "river bed" also hap "opening" (< PAl *abnā) | Latv. RN Abava, Abula Dac. RN Apos | Apos is a Dacian or an Illyrian river name |
| *akmon | stone, rock | PN Άκμονία (Acmonia) in R. Dacia between river Thibiscum and Sarmizegethusa | *ak- ("sharp") | Greek άχμον (akmon, "meteorite") | Lith. akmuo Old Latv. akmuons, Latv. akmens, akmenis Alb. kmesë "sickle" Romanian: ac ("needle") | Lith. RN Akmene, LN Akmenas Phrygian PN Άκμονία (Akmonia) | Acmonia was spelled Augmonia and Agmonia by the Geographer of Ravenna |
| *aksi- | black | PN Άξίοπα (Axiopa), town in Scythia Minor, RN Axios, Macedonian river (now Vardar) | | Old Persian a-xsei 'black, dark' | Alb. i zi "black", nxij "tarnish" | | (i) According to Georgiev, Dacian Axiopa was translated by Slavic successor-population into mod. name Cernavoda ("Black Water"). River Axios was similarly translated into mod. Bulg. name Crna Rijeka ("Black River") (ii) Acc. to Parvulescu, Axios name reflects the Iranic (via the Scythian language) root a-xsei 'black, dark' . (iii) Russu argues Axiopa is not a Dacian name, but a corrupt rendition of Axiopolis (a town of Scythia Minor). |
| *albo | white | PN Alboca (Dacia) TN = Albocensi | *albho ("white") | Latin albus | Romanian: alb Alb. elb (<PA albi) "barley" | | |
| *alda (noun), *alta- (adj.) | swamp, waterlogged place | PN Άλδανες (Aldanes): fort near Naissus (Moesia Sup.) PN Αλτίνα (Altina): fort nr. Tramarisca | *olda, *olta ("water", "odorous") | | Lith. aleti ("flooded") Latv. aluots, avuots ("source") Arm. ałt ("filthy") Alb. balta ("mud", "clay", "dirt") Rom. baltă ("puddle", "pond") | Latv. RN Aldes. SN Altenes Lith. RN Altis | The Dacian origin of Aldanes is controversial. |
| *alm- | to flow, to stream | RN Almus, Dacia Ripensis (Lom, Bulg.}, PN Almo (fort at river-mouth) | | | Lith. almėti ("to flow uninterruptedly"), Latv. aluot, aluoti | | |
| *amalas | mistletoe (Bot. Viscum album) | PN Amlaidina, prob. in Scythia Minor (Dobrogea, Rom.) | | | Lith. ãmalas Latv. amuols Rus. oméla | | |
| *ara | river-course, tide | RN Arine river in Dacia, PN Αρίνα, (Arina) fort in Moesia Inf. | | Gothic runs ("flow") | | Rom. Arieş, Mureş, Siret, Criş river names in Modern Romania Lith. RN Arina | |
| *auras, *auro | water, moisture, pool | RN Αύρας (Auras), river near Istros, Scythia Min. | *uer, *au(e)r 'wet, moisten' | Greek αν-αυρος (an-auros, "without water") | Alb. ujera "waters". | Old Pr. RN Aure | |
| *baidas | frightening, repulsive | PRN Baedarus (from Drobeta), PRN Bedarus (from Potaissa) | *bhoidho-s (Pok. IEW 162) | | Lith. baidýti ("to frighten") Latv. baîdās, bailes ("fear", "anxiety"), Russian боиться (boit'sja) "to fear" | | |
| *balas,*balos | strong | PRN Decebalus | *bel ('strong'), | Sanskrit bala-m- 'force, strong' | Rom. fală, fălos - pride, imposing Alb. (Gheg) ballas "facing danger",për-balcë "to face, defy" | | |
| *balas | white | PRN Balius (from Dacia) | *bhel- ('white, bright') | Ancient Greek phalos, phalios, anc. Greek balios "dappled"(< balios is considered a loan from Thracian or Illyrian; it is attested as far back as Homer's Iliad) | Rom. bălan (white (horse), blonde), bălai (blonde) Lith. bãltas Latv. bãls Alb. bardhë "white", Alb. bal, "piebald dog or horse" | | |
| *berza | birch-tree (Bot. Betula) | PN Bersovia, Berzobis town in SW Dacia | *bhereg "shine", "white" including "birch-tree" | Old Bulg. *brěza | Lith. béržas Latv. bērzs Alb. bredh (< earlier *berdh) | | Here, it is no observable difference between Thracian and Dacian |
| *bur, buris | plentiful, rich, swollen | PRN Burebista and PRN Mucabur | *b(e)u-, bh(e)u-('to swell, inflate, plentiful') | Old Indian bhū́-ri-ḥ 'rich, a lot, immense' | Lith. būrys ("a lot, a bunch, a flock") Latv. burvis (a mag), bur, buris (conjuring) Alb. boll ("plenty") | | |
| *brukla | cranberry (Bot. Vaccinium Oxycoccus) | PN Brucla (fort in Dacia, W of R. Mureş) | *bhreu-k- ("to spread") | | Latv. brūkle, brūklene, brūklenāys (cowberry plant-place) Lith. bruknė Alb.brukë "tamarind" | Latv. MN Brùkļu Lith. SN Bruklynė | |
| *buta(s) | house, hut, dwelling | PN Βούττις (Buttis)(fort in Dacia Med.) PN Boutae (mountain pass into Dacia) | | | Lith. bùtas, butà Latv. buts, būda ("small house") Old Pr. buttan Alb. bujt "dwell, accommodate", bujtinë "small house" | Latv. PN Butani Old Pr. PN Butyn Lith. RN Butėnių (kaimas) | The Dacian origin of Bouttis is controversial. |
| *čuk- | peak, summit | PN Thōkyōdis Via PN *Thoukysidantikī | *ḱu- ("sharp", "pike") | | Rom. ciucă, cioc "beak" Bulg. čuka "small hill" Latv. čuk-ur-s (summit of roof) Alb. çuka "crest", suka "hillock" Greek τσούκα "tumulus" Hung. csùcs | Rom. MN Ciuc (possibly from Hung. csík) Rom. MN Ciucaș | |
| *daba | character, nature | PRN Δαβεις (Dabis) | | Old Slavonic dob- | Lith. dabá Latv. daba Rom. teapă | Pol. PRN Doba, Dobe | |
| *daba | put in order, good | PRN Dabeis | *dabh ('arrange, suitable') | | | | |
| *d(i)egis | burning, shining | PRN Degis | dhegʷh ('to burn') | Sanskrit dáhati ("it burns"), Mid Iranian daig | Lith. dègti ("to burn") Latv. deglis ("burning torch") Alb. djeg ("burn") | | |
| *dina(s) | place, region, plain | PN Amlaidina, Asbolodina | | | | Old Pr. PN Resedynen | |
| *dita(s) | light (noun), bright (adj.) | PRN Ditugentus | *dei-, *di- (to shine, shimmer) | Thrac. *ditas | Alb. ditë ("day") | Old Pr. PRN Ditte Lith. PN Ditava | |
| *drasda | thrush (bird) | PN Drasdea | | Old Slav. drozda | Bulg. drozd thrush Latv. strazds ("thrush") Lith. strazdas ("thrush") Alb. trishta | Lith. strãzdas Lat. draza Eng. thrush Swe. trast Irish truid | Old Pr. PN Drasda |
| *dribas/*drigas | wild, restless | PRN Dribalus PRN Aurelius Drigissa, a veteran of Legio VII Claudia | | | Latv. dribis, dribulis ("a restless man") Lith. drignis Alb. dridhem "to shake, tremble" | Latv. PN Driba Lith. PN Drigotas Old Latv. RN Dryzel Rus. (Baltic origin) RN Drigin'a | |
| *duia | swamp or mist, drizzle | PN Δουιανα (Duiana), fort in Dacia Mediterranea | | | Lith. dujà (both meanings) Latv. dujs ("dirty") Alb. ndyj "dirt" | Latv. PN Dujas Russian (Baltic origin) RN Dyja Lith. PN Daujėnai | The Dacian origin of this toponym is controversial. |
| *dūmas | dark brown | PN Dimum (from *Dumum) | | Old Irish dumhach ("dark, foggy") | Lith. dūmas Latv. dūms Alb.tym ("fog, smoke, uncertainty") E.Bengali. "dhuma" (smoke, fog) Bulg. tama ("darkness, uncertainty") | Thrac. PN Δὐμη (Dimi) | |
| *galtis | sheet-ice, frost | PN Galtis | gel(ǝ) ('cold, freeze') | | Latv. gàla Rus. golot Lith. gailus (cold) gelti (to bite, to sting, to ache) | Old Pr. PN Galtengarb | |
| *genukla | pasture, meadow | PN Γένουκλα (Genucla) (fortress of Getan king Zyraxes on Danube) | | | Lith. ganyklà Latv. ganīkla Alb. gjanë "river mud" | Latv. SN Dzęnuklis | |
| *ger | smart, awake | PRN Gerula | *ger-4, grēi-(to grow; to awake) | | Latin agilis Rom. "ager" "smart, clever" | | |
| *geras | good (-natured), kind | PRN Gerulo PRN Gerula | *g$^u$er(α)- | | Lith. gēras, Alb. gjorë "miserable, wretched" | Lith. PN Gerulių, RN Gerùlis | |
| *germas | hot, warm | PN Γέρμαζα (Germaza), PN Γερμἰζερα (Germizera) | *g$^{hw}$er- | Latin formus Sanskrit gharma | Rom. "jar" "embers" Latv. gařme Gr. θερμὀς, Alb. zjarm "fire, heat" | Thrac. PN Γερμανἰα Bulg. RN Germania | |
| *gilus | deep | PN Gildoba, unknown "Thracian" location where St. Julius was revered | | | Lith. gilùs Latv. dziļš Old Pr. gillin | Lith. RNs Gilijà, Gilupis, Gỹlė Old Pr. LN Gilge Latv. LN Dziļaune | |
| *gira (giria) | forest or mountain | PN Giridava | gʷeru ('pole, pike') | Sanskrit girí-h ("mountain") | Lith. girė, girià ("forest") Latv. dzire ("mountain") Rus. gora 'mountain' Bulg. gora 'forest' Alb. gur "stone" | | |
| *granda | plank | PN Γράνδετον (Grandeton), fort near Naissus (Moesia Superior) | | | Bulg. greda ("beam") Lith. grandà ("bridge-plank") Old Pr. grandico Latv. gruõdi | Lith. PN Grandų káimas Latv. RNs Gruõds, Gruõdi, Gruõdupis Rom. grinda | The Dacian origin of this toponym is controversial. |
| *griva | river-bed or river-mouth | PN Γρίβο (Grivo), fort near Naissus (moesia Sup.) | | Thrac. ? *grava ("valley" or "river-bed") | Latv. grĩva ("river-mouth") Lith. greva ("river-bed") Alb. gravë "cave, lair" | Lith. RN Grýva Latv. RNs Grīva, Grīvīte | The Dacian origin of this toponym is controversial. |
| kaga | sacred, holy | kaga | *kʷog(h)- (< *kʷeg(h)-) | | Old Slav. kazat, skazat ("to tell", "to say") | | |
| *kalas | catfish (?) | RN Calabaeus | | Latin squālus ("large sea fish, shark") Old Norse hualr ("whale") | Old Pr. kalis ("catfish") | | |
| *kapas | hill, slope | PN Καπίδαυα (Capidava) | | | Lith. kãpas Latv. kãpa ("dune, slope") Alb. kapë ("huge heap") | | |
| *kapura | hill | PN Capora (in basin of river Tyras (Dniester) | | | Lith. kapùrna ("mossy mound") | | |
| *karpa | to cut, stone | MN Carpates TN Karpoi, Carpi, | *sker, *ker ("to cut"), | | Latv. kārpa (from kārpīt ("to dig and to kick")) Alb. karpe (*karp-m-) ("stone"), këput "to cut". | Carpathian Mts., Carpi tribe . | |
| *karsa | cave | PN Carsion Thrac. PN Carsaleon | | | | | |
| *katas | stable, animal enclosure | PN Κάττουζα (Cattuza) | | Avestan kata- ("cellar") | Alb. katoq, kotec, "animal enclosure" | Latv. PN Katužs | |
| *keda | seat, stool | PN Cedonia | | | Lith. kedė | | |
| *kerba | swampy ground | PN Cerbatis | | | Lith. kirba | Lith. RN Kerbẽsas | |
| *kerna | bush | PN *Cerna | | | Old. Pr. kirno Lith. kirna ("undergrowth") | Lith. LN Kernỹs | |
| *kerta | clearing in a wood | PN Certie | | | Lith. kertė Latv. cirte (clearing in a wood), cērte (pickaxe) | | |
| *kina | dry ground (mound) in a swamp | PN Ciniscus | | | Lith. kinė, kinis Latv. cine, cin(i)s | | |
| *klevas | maple-tree (Bot.) | PN Clevora | | | Lith. klevas Latv. klavs Bulg. klen maple | | |
| *krata | swampy place or pile, heap | PN Κρατίσκαρα (Cratiscara) | | | Lith. kratà ("heaped"), kritùs ("swampy") Latv. krata ("shaking when driving on bumpy road") | | The Dacian origin of this toponym is controversial. |
| *kurta | grove (stand of planted trees, often sacred) | PN Κουρτα (Curta); Thrac. PN Κουρτουσουρα (Curtusura) | | | Old Pr. korto Alb. korije "grove" | | |
| *lug- | swamp, bog | RN Λύγινος (Luginos) | | Illyr. ἔλος Λοὐγεον | Latv. luga Rus. luža ("puddle") Alb.lug ("trough"), ligatinë ("bog"), luginë ("valley") | Gallic PN Lugdunum (Lyon) | |
| *mala | (river) bank, shore, beach | PN Dacia Malvensis (name of Roman province) | | | Rom. mal Latv. mala | Alb. mal = elevated ground, mountain, hill. | Dacia Malvensis meant "river-bank Dacia", ref. to its situation on (north) bank of Danube. Name Latinised to Dacia Riparia or Ripensis (Latin: rīpa = "riverbank") in new province created by Aurelian on south side of Danube after evacuation of Dacia. |
| *maska | pool, puddle | PN Μασκάς (Maskas) | | | | Latv. PN Mãskas | |
| *mauda(s) | hemlock (Conium)(bot.) | PN Pomodiana | | | Lith. maudá, máudas | Illyrian PN Pamodus (island) | |
| *medeka | glade (clearing in a forest) | PN Μέδεκα (Medeka) | | | Lith. medėkas | | The Dacian origin of this toponym is controversial. |
| *musas | mould, moss | RN Μουσαίος (Museos), Thrac. PN Μωσυπα (Muspa) | | Old Slav. мъсһъ Old High German mos ("swamp") Gr. μὐσος (músos) | Lith. mūsas (mùsas) Alb. myshk "mould, moss" | | |
| *nara(s) | river, brook | RN (Rom. from Dac.) Nǎruja | | | Lith. nérti ("to dive", "swim underwater") Latv. nāra ("mermaid" from nirt ("to dive")) Alb. hum-nerë "precipice, chasm" | Lith. RN Neris, Narùpis Illyr. RN Νάρον | |
| *net- | flow | PN Νετίνδαυα (Netindava), RN Netupa | | Latin natāre ("to swim") | Alb.not "to swim" Rom.înot "to swim" | | |
| *padas | threshing-floor | PN Παδισάρα (Padisara) | | | Lith. pãdas Bulg. pad fall | | |
| *pala, *palma | swamp, bog | PN Παλαδεινα (Paladina); PN Palmatis | | Latin palūs | Lith. pãlios Latv. pali ("floods") Alb.pellg ("swamp") | Lith. RN Palminỹs | |
| *pil- | to flow | RN Gilpil | | | Lith. pilti ("to pour, to flow") Latv. pilt ("to drip, to fill up"), pile ("a drop") Bulg. pilea scatter | | |
| *preida | pine-tree (Bot. pinus) | PN Πρέιδις (Pridis) | | | Latv. priẽde Alb.bredh ("fir tree") Bulg. bor ("pine-tree") | | |
| *put- | to swell, thicken | PN Putina | | | Lith. pūstis ("to swell"); Lith pùtinas ("snowball") | Old Latv. PRN Putte | |
| *rabo, rebo | 'to move' 'to flow' 'be in motion' | RN Rabon river in Dacia (Jiul?) It was etymologically connected with Arabon (Narabon?) from Pannonia | *rebh 'to move' 'to flow' 'be in motion' | | Alb. rrjedh ("to flow") | | |
| *ramus | peaceful, restful | PN Ραμίδαυα (Ramidava); Thrac. PN Rhamae | | Sanskrit rámate | Lith. ramùs Latv. rāms ("calm, peaceful") Alb. ramun ("fallen asleep") | Latv. Rāmava | |
| *rō(u)ka | drizzle, fine rain | PN (from RN) Rhocobae | | | Lith. rõkė Alb. rrjedh "to flow" or rajka "falling(snow, rain etc.)" | | |
| *rus- | to flow | PN Rusidava; Thrac. PN Ροὐσιον | | | Lith. ruséti ("to flow slowly") Alb.rreshje "precipitation" | | |
| *san-apa | confluence (of two rivers) | RN Sanpaeus | | | Lith. Santaka | Lith. LN Sampė (< *San-upė) | |
| *sausas | dry | PRN Sausa | *saus- ('dry') | | Lith. saũsas Latv. sauss ("dry") Alb. thatë "dry" Bulg. suh ("dry") | | |
| *sermas | river, river-current | PN Sirmium | | | | | |
| *skabas | sharp, quick, lively | PRN Σκαβης (Scabis) | | Latin scābēre ("to scratch") | Lith. skubus ("prompt, swift"), skabùs ("sharp"), skabrùs ("quick, lively") Latv. skuba ("hurry"), skubināt ("to hurry, to rush") Alb. i shkathët "quick, prompt" | | |
| *skaudus | painful, sad or powerful | TN Scaugdae | | | Lith. skaudùs Latv. skauds, skaudrs ("very intensive" (pain)) | | |
| *skena | clearing (in a wood) | PN Scenopa | | | Lith. nuo-skena | | |
| *skuia | fir-tree (Bot.) | PN Σκουάνες (Scuanes) | sk(h)u̯oi̯-, sk(h)u̯i(i̯)- ('needle, thorn') | Old Slav. chvoja (pine needles/branches) | Latv. skuja ("spruce-needle") Alb. hu "stake, picket, pole" | | The Dacian origin of this toponym is controversial. |
| *skumbras | hill, down | PN Σκουμβρο (Scumbro) | | Old Alb. zëmbres, zbres ("to go down) | Latv. kumbrs ("rounded top of a hill") | | The Dacian origin of this toponym is controversial. |
| *spirus | fast, quick, rapid | RN Πασπίριος (Paspirios) | | | Lith. spėrus Latv. spars ("force, zeal"), spert ("to hit quickly") Old Alb. shpjertë, Alb. shpejtë "fast, quick" Bulg. skoro ("quickly, fast") | | |
| *stendas | stiff, rigid, viscose | PN Στένδαι (Stende) | | | Lith. standùs, Alb. tendos "rigid", Bulg. stena ("wall") | Latv. RN Steñde | The Dacian origin of this toponym is controversial. |
| *suka | rip, tear, gap | PN Σουκίδαυα (Sucidava); Thrac. PN Succi (mt. pass) | | | Lith. šùkė Latv. sukums Alb. shuk or shkun "to shake, beat, push" | | |
| *sunka | liquid, to flow | PN (from RN) Σονκητα (Sunkita) | | | Lith. sunkà ("liquid", "tree-sap"), Alb. lëng "liquid" | Lith. RN Sunkìnė | |
| *suras | salty | PN Σούρικον (Suricon) | | | Lith. sūras Latv. sūrs ("salty and bitter") Alb. shurrë "urine", "sour liquid" | | |
| *taras | chatterer, gossiper | PRN Tara | | | Alb.thërras "call" | | |
| *tauta | people, nation, country | PRN Tautomedes | | Old Pr. tauto ("country") Goth. thiuda ("people") Old Irish tuath ("people") | Lith. tautà ("people, country") Latv. tauta ("people"), Alb.Tënde ("your kin", "your own") | | |
| *tiras | bare, barren, desolate | FN Τίριξις (Tirizis) | | | Lith. týras Latv. tīrs ("clean") | | |
| *tut- | blow, emit smoke | RN Τοὐτης (Tutes) | | | Lith. tűtúoti ("to blow", "to sound horn") Ger. tuten ("to hoot") Alb. tyta "pipe, barrel", tym/tymos "smoke, to smoke" | Lith RN Tūtupis | |
| *upa | river | PN Scenopa | | | Lith. upė Latv. upe ("river") | | |
| *urda(s) | stream, brook | RN Όρδησσός (Ordessos); Thrac. PN (from RN) Οὐρδαυς (Urdanes) | | | Lith. urdulỹs Latv. urdaviņa Alb. hurdhë "brook" | Celtic RN Urda, Bulg. RN Arda | |
| *vaigas | fast, rapid | PN (from RN) Aegeta | | | | Lith. RN Váigupis | |
| *varpa | whirlpool | PN (from RN) Άρπις (Harpis) | | | Lith. verpetas Latv. virpa ("whirlpool") Alb. vorbull "whirlpool" | Lith. RN Varpė | |
| *visas | fertile, fruitful | PN Βισ-δίνα (Visdina) | | | Lith. vislus, vaisùs | Lith. PN Visalaukė | |
| *zalmo- | fur, skin, shield | PRN Ζαλμοδεγικος (Zalmodenicos) Ζάλμοξις (Zalmoxis) | | | Alb. thelmë "rag, patch" (in sewing) | | |
| *zelmas | shoot (of a plant) | PRN Ζαλμοδεγικος | | | Lith. želmuo Latv. zelmenis ("a field of shoots, shoots in the field"), zelt ("to grow, to become green") Alb. çel ("blossom") | | |
| *zud-as | careful, precise | PRN Zude | | | Latv. zūdit ("to take care") | Lith. PN Zude, Zudius | Alb. kujdes ("to take care") |
| *zuras | hot, shining | RN Zyras | | Sanskrit jūrvati ("scorched") | Latv. zvêruot ("to light up", "shine"), Lith.žaros ("sparkles, glow"), Alb.Ziej, i zier ("boiling" "hot") | Latv. PN (< RN) Zūras Lith. RN Žiūrà | |

## Alleged words reconstructed from Romanian and Albanian

Georgiev, Duridanov and Russu concur that the Dacian language constitutes the main pre-Latin substratum of the modern Romanian language. Duridanov also accepts Georgiev's theory that modern Albanian is descended from "Daco-Moesian". Where words in modern Albanian and/or Romanian can be plausibly linked to an Indo-European root and modern cognates of similar meaning, a reconstruction of the putative Dacian originals have been proposed by Duridanov, who included them in a separate list from words reconstructed from placenames.
CAVEAT: The following word-reconstructions are based on the assumption that the Albanian language is descended from "Daco-Moesian". This theory is contested by many linguists, especially Albanian, who consider the language a direct descendant of the extinct Illyrian language. Thus, reconstructions based on modern Albanian words, or Romanian substratum words with Albanian cognates, may in reality represent ancient Illyrian, rather than Dacian, elements. In addition, the reconstructions below, unlike those in Table A above, are not validated by Dacian place- or personal names. The "Dacianity" of the reconstructions is therefore completely speculative, in comparison to those derived from placenames. (N.B. Even if Albanian is descended from Illyrian, the reconstructions below could nevertheless represent Dacian elements if the "Daco-Illyrian" theory - that the Dacian and Illyrian languages were closely related - is correct; or if the words below represent Illyrian borrowings from "Daco-Moesian", but not if they represent "Daco-Moesian" borrowings from Illyrian)
TABLE C: ALLEGED DACIAN WORDS RECONSTRUCTED FROM ALBANIAN AND ROMANIAN WORDS :
| Dacian word | Meaning | Albanian and Romanian word | Possible Indo-European root-word(s) | Modern cognates | Notes |
| *bred- | fir-tree (Abies alba) | Alb. bredh Rom. brad | *bhreg'-os, *bhrog'-os (Pokorny IEW 139) | Lith. brãzas (resin), Old Slav. brěza (birch) | |
| *daina | song | Rom. dialect daină, doină Alb. zana "mountain fairy" | *doina | Lith. dainà, Lat. daīņa | |
| *mal- | bank, shore or mountain | Alb. mal (mountain) Rom. mal (bank, shore) | *mol- (Pok. aaO. 721f) | Lat. mala (beach, shore) | |
| *spand- | hellebore (plant: Helleborus purpurescens) | Alb. shpendër Rom. spînz | *sponǎ(i)- (Georgiev 1965 p80) | Lat. spuóds (bright) | |
| *skrumb | ash, burnt material | Alb. shkrumb Rom. scrum | *skrṃb(h)- | Lith. skrembù (skrebti) | Old Prussian placename Scrumbayn (today Schrombehnen) |
| *strunga | milking-enclosure | Alb. shtrungë Rom. strungă | *strṇgā | | Dacian placename Στρὁγγες (Proc. Aed. IV.4) |
| *zuv- | fish | Rom. juvete (a species of fish) | *g'hduụ- (Pok. IEW 416) | Lith. žuvis Lat. dial. zuva | Dac. placename Ζουσἱδαυα |