Slavic adj. *širъ & *širokъ "wide, broad"

Abstract

A purpose of the present article is a new etymology of the Slavic adj. *širъ & *širokъ "wide, broad", which follows after the analysis of word formation and detailed discussion of the traditional etymology. Arguments supporting the new solution, identifying in *širъ a Middle Iranian source of the type *(k)šīra- "(broad) country", are supplemented by semantic parallels and related to the historical-geographical context mediated by the ancient and medieval authors.