βρέχω

Validation

Yes

Word-form

βρέφος

Transliteration (Word)

brephos

English translation (word)

foetus, new-born babe

Transliteration (Etymon)

brekhō

English translation (etymon)

to wet

Author

Etym. Gudianum

Century

11 AD

Source

Idem

Ref.

Etym. Gudianum, beta, p. 286

Ed.

E.L. de Stefani, Etymologicum Gudianum, fasc. 1 & 2, Leipzig, 1:1909; 2:1920

Quotation

Βρέφος : παρὰ τὸ εἰς φῶς βεβηκέναι· ἢ παρὰ τὸ φέρβω, τὸ τρέφω, φέρβος, καὶ τροπῇ τοῦ φ εἰς β καὶ ‹τοῦ β εἰς φ καὶ› ἐν ὑπερβιβασμῷ τοῦ ρ βρέφος· ‹ἢ παρὰ τὸ βρέχω βρέχος καὶ τροπῇ τοῦ χ εἰς φ βρέφος›, τὸ ἐν κοιλίᾳ τῆς μητρὸς αὐτοῦ βεβρεγμένον ὄν· ἢ παρὰ τὸ τρέφω τρέφος, καὶ τροπῇ τοῦ τ εἰς β βρέφος

Translation (En)

Brephos "new-born babe" : from the fact that it has come to light; or from pherbō "to fed", and by changing the [ph] into [b] ‹and the [b] into [ph]› and through metathesis of the [r], brephos; or from brekhō "to wet", *brekhos and by changing the [kh] into [ph], brephos, that which is wet in the womb of its mother; or from trephō "to feed", and by changing the [t] into [b], brephos"

Comment

Paronymic descriptive etymology relying on a phonetic manipulation, which is found only here.

Parallels

No parallel

Modern etymology

Βρέφος is cognate with the Slavic word for "foal", OCS žrěbę, žrěbьcь (Beekes, EDG)

Persistence in Modern Greek

Βρέφος is still used in Modern Greek to denote 'a child, from the 2nd till the 12th month of birth'. "Θείο βρέφος" designates Jesus Christ. (Triandafyllidis, Dictionary of Modern Greek).