γνάμπτω
Word
Validation
No
Word-form
γνάθος
Word-lemma
Etymon-lemma
Transliteration (Word)
gnathos
English translation (word)
jaw
Transliteration (Etymon)
gnamptō
English translation (etymon)
to bend
Century
5 AD
Source
Idem
Ref.
Etymologicum, gamma, p. 40
Ed.
F. Sturz, Orionis Thebani etymologicon, Leipzig, Weigel, 1820
Quotation
Γνάθος, παρὰ τὴν γνάψιν καὶ κλάσιν
Translation (En)
Gnathos "jaw", because it is bent (gnapsin) and curved
Parallels
Meletius, De natura hominis, p. 76 (γνάθοι μὲν, παρὰ τὴν γνάμψιν καὶ κάμψιν τῶν ὀστῶν· ἐκ τοῦ κάμπτω οὖν ἐστὶ τὸ γνάμψαι); Leo Medicus, De natura hominum synopsis 47 (τὰ ὑποκάτω τοῦ ὠτὸς γνάθοι λέγονται καὶ χαλινοί· ἐκ τοῦ γνάθον γνάψαι καὶ κάμψαι [misunderstanding of Meletius' text]); Joannes Mauropus, Etymologica nominum 185 (Θεῶ δὲ γναμπτὰς συγκεκαμμένας γνάθους); Etym. Magnum, Kallierges, p. 235 (Γνάθος: Ἡ παρειά· παρὰ τὴν γνάμψιν καὶ κάμψιν ἢ κλάσιν, ἡ καμπτομένη σιαγών); Ps.-Zonaras, Lexicon, gamma, p. 444 (idem); Etym. Symeonis, gamma 124 (Γνάθος· ἡ παρειὰ παρὰ γνάμψιν καὶ κάμψιν· ἢ κλάσιν ἡ καμπτομένη σιαγὼν)
Bibliography
ž
Modern etymology
Maybe cognate with Lith. žándas "jaw" but the detail poses problems (Beekes, EDG)
Persistence in Modern Greek
Yes, as a learned word of the anatomical vocabulary
Entry By
Le Feuvre
Comment
Derivational descriptive etymology referring to the shape of the jaw bone. Since γνάμπτω is a poetic form of κάμπτω, the etymology often appears with the latter