dᵻpˈɛndɪŋ ˌɔn wˌɪtʃ pˌɑːsəbˈɪlᵻɾi ɪz pɹɪfˈɜːd, ðə pɹˈiːkɹˈɪstʃən mˈiːnɪŋ ʌvðə dʒɜːmˈænɪk tˈɜːm mˈeɪ ˈiːðɚ hɐvbɪn ɪnðə "pˈoːɹɪŋ" kˈeɪs "lɪbˈeɪʃən" ɔːɹ "ðæt wˌɪtʃ ɪz lˈɪbeɪɾᵻd əpˌɑːn, ˈaɪdəl" — ɔːɹ, æz wˈɑːtkɪnz oʊpˈaɪnz ɪnðə lˈaɪt ʌv ɡɹˈiːk  "pˈoːɹd ˈɜːθ" mˈiːnɪŋ "tˈuːmjʊləs", "ðə dʒɜːmˈænɪk fˈɔːɹm mˌeɪhɐv ɹᵻfˈɜːd ɪnðə fˈɜːst ˈɪnstəns tə ðə spˈɪɹɪt ɪmˈeɪnənt ɪn ɐ bˈɛɹɪəl mˈaʊnd" — ɔːɹ ɪnðə "ɪnvˈoʊk" kˈeɪs  "ɪnvoʊkˈeɪʃən, pɹˈɛɹ" kəmpˈɛɹ ðə mˈiːnɪŋz ʌv sˈænskɹɪt ɔːɹ "ðæt wˌɪtʃ ɪz ɪnvˈoʊkt".
Depending on which possibility is preferred, the pre-Christian meaning of the Germanic term may either have been (in the "pouring" case) "libation" or "that which is libated upon, idol" — or, as  Watkins opines in the light of Greek  "poured earth" meaning "tumulus", "the Germanic form may have referred in the first instance to the spirit immanent in a burial mound" — or (in the "invoke" case)  "invocation, prayer" (compare the meanings of Sanskrit ) or "that which is invoked".