καρπός1
Word
Validation
No
Word-form
καρποῖς
Word-lemma
Etymon-lemma
Transliteration (Word)
karpos
English translation (word)
wrist
Transliteration (Etymon)
karpos
English translation (etymon)
fruit
Century
11 AD
Source
Idem
Ref.
Etymologica nominum 223
Ed.
R. Reitzenstein, M. Terentius Varro und Johannes Mauropus von Euchaita: eine Studie zur Geschichte der Sprachwissenschaft, Leipzig: Teubner, 1901
Quotation
καρποῖς δὲ χειρὸς κλῆσις ἐξ ἀκροδρύων
Translation (En)
And the wrists (karpois) of the hand are named after the fruits (akrodruōn)
Modern etymology
Unknown
Persistence in Modern Greek
Καρπός is still widely used in Modern Greek, in both everyday and medical/anatomical language to designate the 'wrist'.
Entry By
Le Feuvre
Comment
Elliptic etymology: καρπός "wrist" is derived from καρπός "fruit" but the latter is not explicit in the text but substituted by a synonym. This etymology, relying on the identity of the two words, is much older than Mauropus, but is not found explicitly before him. Most lexicographers mention it as one word with two different meanings.