satem

[ sah-tuhm ]

adjective

1. belonging to or consisting of those branches of the Indo-European family in which alveolar or palatal fricatives, as the sounds (s) or (sh), developed in ancient times from Proto-Indo-European palatal stops: the satem branches are Indo-Iranian, Armenian, Slavic, Baltic, and Albanian.

satem

/ ˈseɪ-; ˈsɑːtəm /

adjective

1. denoting or belonging to the group of Indo-European languages in which original velar stops became palatalized (k > s or / ʃ /). These languages belong to the Indic, Iranian, Armenian, Slavonic, Baltic, and Albanian branches and are traditionally regarded as the E group Compare centum

Word History and Origins

Origin of satem¹

1900–05; < Avestan satəm hundred (cognate with Latin centum; centum ² ), exemplifying in s- the outcome of Indo-European palatal stops characteristic of the group

Word History and Origins

Origin of satem¹

from Avestan sat ə m hundred; chosen to exemplify the variation of initial s with initial k (as in centum ) in Indo-European languages

Example Sentences

Mr. Najib was helped by support from a popular local ally, Chief Minister Adenan Satem, who emerges as a reliable power broker in Malaysian politics.

From Wall Street Journal

But Mr. Najib’s chief asset has been his popular local ally, Chief Minister Adenan Satem, who has campaigned actively and hopes to extend the Front’s dominance over a weak and divided opposition in Sarawak’s 82-seat legislature.

From Wall Street Journal

This year Barisan is also getting a legitimate boost from the wild popularity of Sarawak’s newish chief minister, Adenan Satem.

From Economist

Since Mr. Satem was implicated in the bombing, which killed five people on Jan. 2 in a neighborhood dominated by Hezbollah, he has become the face of what many Lebanese fear most: fellow citizens so radicalized by the conflict in Syria that they would give their lives to attack their perceived enemies at home.

From New York Times

Inside, it was so cold that Mr. Satem’s mother’s breath was visible as she mourned her son.

From New York Times