μέλω
Word
Validation
Word-form
Word-lemma
Etymon-lemma
Transliteration (Word)
English translation (word)
Transliteration (Etymon)
English translation (etymon)
Century
Source
Ref.
Ed.
Quotation
μέλισσα παρὰ τὸ μέλειν· οἰκονομικὸν γὰρ καὶ ἐπιμελὲς τὸ ζῶον
Translation (En)
Melissa "bee" comes from melein "to care about", because the animal is industrious and active (epimeles)
Parallels
Photius, Bibliotheca, p. 535b (Ὅτι ἡ μέλιττα ἢ ἀπὸ τοῦ μέλειν εἴρηται (οἰκονομικὸν γὰρ τὸ ζῷον), ἢ μήλιζαν αὐτὴν λεκτέον ὡς ἐφιζάνουσαν πᾶσι τοῖς καρποῖς· τὸ γὰρ μῆλον κατὰ πάντων ληπτέον τῶν καρπίμων); Etym. Magnum, Kallierges, p. 577 (Μέλισσα: Παρὰ τὸ μέλειν· οἰκονομικὸν γὰρ τὸ ζῷον καὶ ἐπιμελές· ἢ ἐκ τοῦ μῆλον, ὃ σημαίνει πάντα τὸν καρπὸν, μήλιζά τις οὖσα, ἡ πᾶσιν ἐφιζάνουσα τοῖς μήλοις· ἡ γὰρ μέλισσα, τῶν ἀνθῶν τὰ χρησιμώτατα συλλέγουσα, τὸ μέλι ποιεῖ, τὰ μὲν καλὰ ἐκλέγουσα, τὰ δὲ φαῦλα ἀπορρίπτουσα); Ps.-Zonaras, Lexicon, mu, p. 1344 (Μέλισσαι. παρὰ τὸ μέλειν, τὸ φροντίζειν. οἰκονομικὸν γὰρ τὸ ζῶον καὶ ἐπιμελητικόν. ἢ μήλιζα τὶς οὖσα, ἡ πᾶσιν ἐφιζάνουσα τοῖς καρποῖς ἤγουν μήλοις. μῆλον γὰρ κατὰ πάντων εἴρηται τῶν καρπῶν, ὅθεν καὶ πολύμηλος γῆ ἡ πολύκαρπος); Scholia vetera in Pindarum, Ol. 14.26a (ἐν μελέταις τε ἀείδων: ἐπιμελείαις· ἔνθεν καὶ ἡ μέλισσα τὸ ζῷον, ὂν ἐπιμελέστατον); Scholia in Euripidis Hippolytum 77b (μέλισσα—διέρχεται] ἡ ψυχὴ ἐρευνᾷ ἀεὶ καὶ μελετᾷ τὰ θεῖα καὶ ἱερὰ πράγματα)
Comment
Derivational etymology deriving the name of the bee from the middle μέλομαι "to care for", although the form is given under the active form μέλω (this is customary in Greek etymological explanations). The etymology refers to a behavioral feature of the bee, which was proverbial in Antiquity. A variant of this etymology derives the word from μελέτη "concern, care" (see Parallels)