γῆ + ἐρανίζω

Validation

Yes

Word-form

γέρανος

Transliteration (Word)

geranos

English translation (word)

crane

Transliteration (Etymon)

gē + eranizō

English translation (etymon)

earth + collect by contribution

Author

Etym. Gudianum

Century

11 AD

Source

Idem

Ref.

Additamenta in Etym. Gudianum e codd. Vat. Barber. gr. 70 + Paris. suppl. gr. 172, gamma p. 306

Ed.

E.L. de Stefani, Etymologicum Gudianum, fasc. 1 & 2, Leipzig: Teubner, 1:1909; 2:1920

Quotation

Γέρανος· παρ’ ὅτι ἐκ γῆς ἀεί τι ἐρανιζόμενος συλλέγει

Translation (En)

Geranos "crane": from the fact that it gathers always something from the earth (gēs) by collecting (eranizomenos)

Comment

Descriptive etymology. The word is analyzed as a head-final N-V compound, implying elision of the final vowel of γῆ

Parallels

This etymology is found here only, whereas the competing one by γἢ + ἐρευνάω is commonplace

Modern etymology

Γέρανος is the inherited Indo-European word for "crane", cognate with Engl. crane, Gaul. tri-garanos "with three cranes" and Lat. grūs (Beekes, EDG)

Persistence in Modern Greek

The word is still used in Modern Greek accentuated as γερανός, to designate 1. the bird and 2. the machine that lifts heavy onbects (Triandafyllidis, Dictionary of Modern Greek).

Entry By

Le Feuvre