Can be compared to *piˀ(-at-), but the meaning shift is not entirely clear. [Nöldeke 152] translated it as ‘troop, new army’ with a remark: «Originally there was probably something like ‘attack frontage’».
*-V- in the protoform should probably be replaced by *-i- supported by Eth. and Soq.; u- in Akk., Mnd. and Hbr. (if related) might be explained by the influence of *p-, and -a- in Syr., by the influence of -ˀ-.