μέρος
Word
Validation
Yes
Word-form
μείων
Word-lemma
Etymon-lemma
Transliteration (Word)
meiōn
English translation (word)
smaller, lesser
Transliteration (Etymon)
meros
English translation (etymon)
part
Century
9 AD?
Source
Idem
Ref.
Epimerismi homerici ordine alphabetico traditi, alpha 60
Ed.
A.R. Dyck, Epimerismi Homerici: Pars altera. Lexicon αἱμωδεῖν [Sammlung griechischer und lateinischer Grammatiker (SGLG) 5.2], Berlin - New York: De Gruyter, 1995: 59-761.
Quotation
ἀμείνων ἐκ τοῦ μέρος μερίων καὶ ἐκβολῇ τοῦ ρ καὶ συναιρέσει γίνεται μείων καὶ ἀμείων καὶ πλεονασμῷ ἀμείνων
Translation (En)
"better" (ameinōn) : from meros "part" one derives *meriōn, and through dropping of the [r] and contraction, meiōn "lesser", and then *ameiōn and by adjunction (of [n]) ameinōn"
Parallels
Etym. Gudianum, alpha p. 112 (ἀμείνων· ἐκ τοῦ μέρος μερίων, καὶ ἐκβολῇ τοῦ ρ καὶ συναιρέσει γίνεται μείων καὶ ἀμείων καὶ πλεονασμῷ ἀμείνων); Etym. Magnum, Kallierges p. 82 (idem)
Modern etymology
Μείων is an old comparative from *meiH-u- "less", cognate with Lat. minus "less", Gr. μινύθω "to diminish", Sanscrite mināti "to lessen". The older form in Greek is *meiw-yos-, Myc. me-wi-jo (Beekes, EDG)
Persistence in Modern Greek
Τhe neuter μείον is used in Modern Greek to designate 1. subtraction with accusative, 2. absense in general, 3. the mathematical symbol, 4. disadvantages (substantivized: τα μείον). Also derivatives/compouds: μειώνω, μειονεκτώ, etc. (Triandafyllidis DMG)
Entry By
Le Feuvre
Comment
This paronymic etymology relies on the simple idea that the part is lesser than the whole, and on the usual practice of dropping or adding or inverting letters whenever necessary. The intermediate step *μερίων is invented for the sake of the explanation. This etymology is inserted into the etymological explanation of ἀμείνων (q.v.)