τείνω
Word
Validation
No
Word-form
θάλασσα
Word-lemma
Etymon-lemma
Transliteration (Word)
thalassa
English translation (word)
sea
Transliteration (Etymon)
teinō
English translation (etymon)
to stretch
Century
12 AD
Source
Idem
Ref.
Etym. Magnum, Kallierges, p. 441
Ed.
T. Gaisford, Etymologicum Magnum, Oxford, 1848
Quotation
Θάλασσα: Παρὰ τὸν σάλον, σάλασσα καὶ θάλασσα, μεταθέσει τοῦ σ εἰς θ, ὡς ὀρχησμὸς, ὀρχηθμός. Ἢ παρὰ τὸ ἆσσον εἶναι θανάτου γίνεται θάνασσα, καὶ θάλασσα. Ἢ παρὰ τὴν ἁλὸς γενικὴν, ἅλασσα· καὶ πλεονασμῷ τοῦ θ, θάλασσα. Ἢ παρὰ τὸ τείνω, ἐκ τοῦ ἐπιτεταμένην ἔχειν τὴν ὁδόν.
Translation (En)
Thalassa "sea". From salos "tossing motion", *salassa and thalassa, by change of []s into [th], as in orkhēsmos, orkhēthmos "dance". Or from the fact that <those who sail> are closer to death (asson einai thanatou), *thanassa and thalassa. Or from the genitive halos "of the sea", *halassa and with addition of [th], thalassa. Or from teinō "to stretch", because it provides a long path
Parallels
There is no parallel
Modern etymology
Unknown, probably a loanword (Beekes, EDG)
Persistence in Modern Greek
Yes
Entry By
Le Feuvre
Comment
Derivational etymology implying several changes: of [t] into [th], of [n] into [l], and the end of the word remains unaccounted for. The sea is etymologized as that which stretches along the coast and makes it possible to cover long distances