κέρδος
Word
Validation
No
Word-form
κερδαίνειν
Word-lemma
Etymon-lemma
Transliteration (Word)
kerdainō
English translation (word)
to profit, to gain from
Transliteration (Etymon)
kendos
English translation (etymon)
profit
Century
8 BC
Source
Idem
Ref.
Opera et dies 352
Ed.
ML. West, Hesiod. Works and Days, Oxford 1978
Quotation
μὴ κακὰ κερδαίνειν· κακὰ κέρδεα ἶσ’ ἄτῃσι.
Translation (En)
Do not seek to profit (kerdainein) wrongly. Evil profits (kerdea) are equal to maledictions
Parallels
Etym. Gudianum, kappa, p. 316 (Κερδαίνειν, παρὰ τὸ κέρδος· ἣ παρὰ τὸ κέαρ ἰαίνειν, ὅ ἐστιν εὐφραίνειν); Ps.-Zonaras, Lexicon, kappa, p. 1197 (idem); Etym. Magnum, Kallierges, p. 505 (Κερδαίνειν: Ἀπὸ τοῦ κέρδους, ἢ ἀπὸ τοῦ τὸ κέαρ ἰαίνειν); Scholia in Euripidis Hecubam 518 (τὸ κερδᾶναι γίνεται ἀπὸ τοῦ κέρδος, τὸ δὲ κέρδος ἀπὸ τοῦ τὸ κέαρ ἡδαίνειν καὶ εὐφραίνειν).
Modern etymology
Denominative of κέρδος "profit"
Persistence in Modern Greek
MG has κερδίζω, denominative of κέρδος
Entry By
Le Feuvre
Comment
Figura etymologic implying that κερδαίνω is correctly identified as a derivative of κέρδος. The phrase κέρδος κερδαίνειν "to make a profit" is often used in Greek (e.g. Soph., OR 889 εἰ μὴ τὸ κέρδος κερδανεῖ δικαίως). This derivation is so obvious that it is not mentioned in etymological literature until fairly late.