shemër

Albanian

Etymology

Orel suggests a morphological transformation of Vulgar Latin *sub-marīta or *sub-marītica, a derivative of Latin marīta (“married woman”). Çabej deems it an early borrowing from Proto-Slavic *sębrъ. A later borrowing sem(b)ër/sëmbër from the same source is attested across dialects. A derivative shmrijak (“farming partner”) is attested in Northern subdialects. Compare Serbo-Croatian sebar, Belarusian сябар (sjabar, “friend”).

According to an alternative suggestion, possibly from Proto-Albanian *ùśko-ma-r (“wife”), from earlier *ùkso (“to marry”), from Proto-Indo-European *wVkV-so, compare Latin uxor (“wife”) and Sanskrit वच (vaca).(Can this⁽⁺⁾ etymology be sourced?)

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ʃɛˈməɾ/

Noun

shemër f (plural shemra, definite shemra, definite plural shemrat)

1. second wife (in a polygamous marriage)
2. co-wife (another wife of a woman’s husband)
3. enemy, opponent, nemesis

Related terms

• lehonë
• mërkosh