Etymology
1. Disputed. Derksen lists three hypotheses:
2. * From an elongated ō-grade Proto-Indo-European *gʰōd-, from root *gʰed- (“to take, to hold, to find”). Cognate with Proto-Germanic *getaną (“to get, to perceive, to acquire”) (the source of English get) and akin to ne-infix presents Ancient Greek χανδάνω (khandánō, “to contain”), Latin prehendō (“to seize, to take”). Favoured by Vasmer.
3. * Related to synonymous *gatati, perhaps from Proto-Indo-European *gʷet-, *gʷed- (“to say, to speak”). If so, then akin to Proto-Germanic *kweþaną (“to say”), Sanskrit गदति (gádati) (perhaps originating from a mixture of *gat- with वदति (vádati)). Supported by Berneker, Chernykh, Seebold, who also give as cognates Lithuanian godóti (“to honor, to respect, to think, to believe”), Latvian gãdât (“to take care, to look after”) (further related to Lithuanian godẽlė (“thought, guess”), gùosti (“to care”)).
4. * Possibly related to Proto-Slavic *goditi (“to please”), *gaďati (“to aim, to make relation”), Lithuanian guõdas (“worth, honour”), Latvian gadît (“to happen to find”), from Proto-Indo-European *gʰedʰ- (“to suit, to join, to gather”). Favoured by Sławski, Zubatý.
5. Given Winter's law, the last option is phonetically most preferable. See: Proto-Germanic '
*getaną', Latin '
prehendō', Proto-Germanic '
*kweþaną', Sanskrit '
गदति', Proto-Slavic '
*goditi'.
Verbs referencing "gadati"
Czech
hádat, Russian
гадать, Latvian
gādāt, Ukrainian
гадати.