πτερόν + τείνω

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Thu, 11/04/2021 - 19:20

Word-form

πετεινόν

Transliteration (Word)

peteinos

English translation (word)

bird

Transliteration (Etymon)

peton + teinō

English translation (etymon)

wing + to stretch

Author

Pseudo-Athanasius of Alexandria

Source

Idem

Ref.

Liber de definitionibus, MPG 28, p. 544

Ed.

J.-P. Migne, Patrologiae cursus completus (series Graeca) (MPG) 106, Paris: Migne, 1857-1866: 493-785

Quotation

πετεινὸν, τὸ τὴν πτέρυγα τεῖνον

Translation (En)

Peteinon "bird": the one that stretches (teinon) its wing (pteruga)

Comment

Compositional etymology probably suggested by the Homeric compound τανυσίπτερος "wing-stretching", epithet of birds. Here the etymon is given not as πτερόν, but as the synonym πτἐρυγα, which had become more frequent in late Greek (but the formulation with πτερόν is found in other sources, see Parallels). The etymon is *πτε-τεινον, with dropping of the first [t]. Of the first element of the compound, only the initial syllable is kept and the second one is dropped, as often.

Parallels

Anastasius Sin., Viae dux 2.4 (idem); Choeroboscus, Epimerismi in Psalmos, p. 110 (Πετεινόν. εἰ μὲν διὰ τῆς ΕΙ διφθόγγου γράφεται, παρὰ τὸ τὴν πτέρυγα τείνειν· ὁ δὲ Ἡρωδιανὸς ἐκ τοῦ πετῶ, πετήσω, πετηνὸν, πετεεινόν); Etym. Gudianum, pi, p. 463 (Πετεινὸν, παρότι πετᾶται τεινόμενον); Etym. Magnum, Kallierges, p. 666 (Πετεινόν: Οἱ μὲν διὰ διφθόγγου γράφουσιν, ἐκ τοῦ τὴν πτέρυγα τείνειν ἐτυμολογοῦντες· ὁ δὲ  Ἡρωδιανὸς, ἐκ τοῦ πετῶ πετάσω, πτῶ πτήσω πτηνὸν καὶ πετηνόν· τὸ δὲ πετεηνὸν, ὡς ῥηματικὸν, διὰ τοῦ η· ἐκ τοῦ πετῶ πετήσω, πετηνόν· καὶ πλεονασμῷ τοῦ ε ποιητικῶς, πετεηνόν. Πάντοτε δὲ ὁ ποιητὴς διὰ τοῦ ε καὶ η προφέρει. Ἔστι δὲ καὶ τοῦτο γενικόν); Scholia in Hesiodum, Op. 275 (Tzetzes) (Πετεινόν, παρὰ τὸ ἐν τῷ πέτεσθαι τείνειν τὸ πτερόν· πετεηνόν δὲ, παρὰ τὸ ἐν τῷ πέτεσθαι ἄνω, οἱονεὶ τὸ ὑψιπετές· ὅθεν τὸ μὲν δίφθογγος, τὸ δὲ ἦτα γραφεῖται); Scholia et glossae in Sophoclis Ajacem 140c (recentiora) (πτηνὸν λέγεται τὸ εἰς ὕψος πετόμενον ἀπὸ τοῦ πέτεσθαι ἄνω ὥσπερ τὸ πετεινὸν ἀπὸ τοῦ ἐν τῷ πέτεσθαι τείνειν τὸ πτερόν)

Modern etymology

Derivative of πέτομαι "to fly", from PIE *peth2-. Belongs with ποτάομαι "to fly", πτερόν "wing", πτηνός "winged", ὑψιπετής "high-flying" (Beekes, EDG)

Persistence in Modern Greek

MG still has πετεινός "rooster", πετεινάρι "cockerel"

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