σκηρίπτω
Word
Validation
No
Word-form
ξίφος
Word-lemma
Etymon-lemma
Transliteration (Word)
xiphos
English translation (word)
sword
Transliteration (Etymon)
skēriptō
English translation (etymon)
to plant, to fix
Century
12 AD
Source
Idem
Ref.
Etym. Magnum, Kallierges, p. 611
Ed.
T. Gaisford, Etymologicum magnum, Oxford: Oxford University Press, 1848
Quotation
Ξίφος: Παρὰ τὸ ξαίνειν· ἢ παρὰ τὸ ὀξύνεσθαι πρὸς φόνον. Ἀπὸ τοῦ ξύω, ξύσω, ξύφος, καὶ ξίφος. Ἢ παρὰ τὸ σκηρίπτω, σκίπος σκίφος, καὶ ξίφος
Translation (En)
Xiphos "sword": from xainein "to scrape"; or from oxunesthai "to be sharpened" in order to kill. From xuō "to scrape", <future> xusō, *xuphos and xiphos. Or from skēriptō "to plant", *skipos, *skiphos and ksiphos.
Parallels
There is no parallel.
Modern etymology
Mycenaean has a dual qi-si-pe-e /kwsiphhehe/. Probably a loanword (Beekes, EDG)
Persistence in Modern Greek
Yes, as a learned word
Entry By
Le Feuvre
Comment
Derivational etymology implying several formal manipulations and etymologizing the name of the sword as that which is planted into the body in order to kill. It implies a ioticising pronunciation [skiriptō], which provides the first syllable [ski], then undergoing a metathesis of consonants into [ksi].