χείρ
Word
Validation
No
Word-form
χείρονες
Word-lemma
Etymon-lemma
Transliteration (Word)
kheirōn
English translation (word)
worse
Transliteration (Etymon)
kheir
English translation (etymon)
hand
Century
5 AD
Source
idem
Ref.
Etymologicum, chi, p. 162
Ed.
F.W. Sturz, Etymologicum Graecae linguae Gudianum et alia grammaticorum scripta e codicibus manuscriptis nunc primum edita, Leipzig: Weigel, 1818
Quotation
Χέρειες καὶ χείρονες. οἱ διὰ τῶν χειρῶν πορίζοντες, ὡς καὶ οἱ χερνῆται.
Translation (En)
Khereies "poor" and kheirones "humble", those who make a living through their hands (dia tōn kheirōn), as the khernētai.
Parallels
Etym. Magnum, Kallierges, p. 808 (idem)
Modern etymology
Probably related to Ved. hrasvá- “short”, comparative hrásiyas-, despite Beekes' doubts (EDG)
Persistence in Modern Greek
Χειρότερος is still used in Modern Greek as the comparative of κακός and as the superlative when accompanied by article "ο" (ο χειρότερος). The neutral is also used in MG in the saying "τὸ μὴ χεῖρον βέλτιστον"
Comment
The comparative χείρων is here understood as "small, humble, poor", not as "worse". In this specific meaning, il is etymologized by χείρ, the poor are those who have to work. Notice that two different meanings of the word are explained though the same etymon (see χείρων / χείρ).