λύω
Word
Validation
Yes
Word-form
λύσσαν
Word-lemma
Etymon-lemma
Transliteration (Word)
lussa
English translation (word)
rage
Transliteration (Etymon)
luō
English translation (etymon)
to solve, to detach
Century
9 AD
Source
Idem
Ref.
Etym. Genuinum, lambda 206
Ed.
K. Alpers, Bericht über Stand und Methode der Ausgabe des Etymologicum genuinum, Copenhagen, 1969
Quotation
Λύσσαν: μανίαν. εἴρηται παρὰ τὸ λύειν τὸν νοῦν
Translation (En)
Rage (lussa): madness; from the fact that it dissolves (luein) the mind
Parallels
A Schol. Il. 9.239b2 (εἴρηται δὲ παρὰ τὸ λύειν τὸν νοῦν); Etym. Gudianum, lambda p. 375 (Λύσσα, ἡ μανία, ὀργὴ, χόλος καὶ μῆνις· εἴρηται δὲ παρὰ τὸ λύειν τὸν νοῦν); Etym. Magnum, Kallierges p. 572 (Λύσσα: Ἡ μανία· παρὰ τὸ λύειν τὸν νοῦν· παρὰ τὴν λύσιν τῶν κατὰ ψυχὴν λογισμῶν, καὶ τοῦ παλαιοῦ τῶν φρενῶν κατασπέρματος· ἢ παρὰ τὸ ἀφέτους εἶναι τοὺς κατεχομένους ἐξ αὐτῆς); Scholia in Homerum, T Schol. Il. 9.239b1 (λύσσα δὲ παρὰ τὸ λύειν τὸν νοῦν); T Schol. Il. 13.53b (λύσσα δὲ παρὰ τὸ λελύσθαι τὰς φρένας); T Schol. Il. 21.542 (ἡ λύουσα τοὺς λογισμοὺς ἀνία)
Modern etymology
Derivative from λύκος "wolf", in its proper meaning "rabies" (Beekes, EDG)
Persistence in Modern Greek
Λύσσα is preserved in Modern Greek as 1. the name of the disease, 2. the manic behaviour, 3. the rage, 4. the extremely salty food. There also is verb λυσσάω with all the above meanings, depending on the context.
Entry By
Le Feuvre
Comment
Paronymic etymology based on the metaphorical meaning of the word "rage" (when one is out of his mind). The proper meaning of λύσσα is "rabies", whence "fury, rage"