λάω
Word
Validation
Word-form
Word-lemma
Etymon-lemma
Transliteration (Word)
English translation (word)
Transliteration (Etymon)
English translation (etymon)
Century
Source
Ref.
Ed.
Quotation
Λαγὼς καὶ λαγωὸς, παρὰ τὸ λάειν, ὅ ἐστι βλέπειν.
Translation (En)
Lagōs and lagōos ("hare"): from laein, which means "to look"
Parallels
Etymologicum Gudianum, lambda p. 360 (Λαγωὸς κοινῶς, λαγὼς Ἀττικῶς ἀπὸ τοῦ λάειν λαὸς καὶ λαγωός.) ; Eustathius, Comm. Il., vol. 1, 138, 28 (καὶ λαγὸς ἐρώτων ἀνάθημα διὰ τὸ ταὐτὸν τῆς κατὰ κλῆσιν γενέσεως. λαγός τε γὰρ ἀπὸ τοῦ λάειν καὶ Ἔρως ἐκ τοῦ ὁρᾶν, ἅπερ τὸ βλέπειν μηνύουσι); ibid., vol. 3, 90, 13 (Γίνεται δὲ παρὰ τὸ λάειν, ὅ ἐστι βλέπειν, ὁ λαγός); ibid., vol. 3, 238, 11 (Ὅτι δὲ ἐκ τοῦ λάω, τὸ βλέπω, γίνεται, ὥσπερ ὁ λέων, οὕτω καὶ ὁ λίς κατὰ τὸν γραμματικὸν Ὦρον ὡς ὀξυδερκής, καὶ ὅτι, ὥς φησι Μανέθων ἐν τοῖς πρὸς Ἡρόδοτον, οὐ καθεύδει ὁ λέων, ὅπερ ἀπίθανον — οὐ γὰρ ἂν ἀεὶ ἐγρηγόροι — ἀλλὰ κατὰ δορκάδα τὴν ἐκ τοῦ δέρκω παρηγμένην καὶ κατὰ λαγὼν τὸν ἐκ τοῦ λάω, ἀνεῳγότας καθεύδων ἔχει τοὺς ὀφθαλμούς, οἱ παλαιοί φασιν); Eustathius, Comm. Od., vol. 2, 147, 1 (ὁ δὲ λαγωὸς εἰ μὲν ἐκ τοῦ λαγὼς ἐκτεταμένου δισυλλάβου γίνεται, πλεονασμὸν ἔχει τοῦ ο μικροῦ· εἰ δ’ ἐκ τοῦ ἑτέρου τοῦ συστέλλοντος τὴν λήγουσαν, ἐπεντεθῆναι δοκεῖ τὸ μέγα ω πρὸς ἀναλογίαν τοῦ κολωὸς καὶ τῶν ὁμοίων. φασὶ δὲ Ἰωνικὸν εἶναι τὸ λαγὼς δισύλλαβον μακροκατάληκτον, οἱ δ’ ἄλλοι λαγὸν, δηλαδὴ διὰ τοῦ ο μικροῦ, ὡς ἀπὸ τοῦ λάω τὸ βλέπω. καὶ εἰσὶ καὶ πληθυντικὰ τούτου, ὡς δηλοῖ Ἀθήναιος. ἐκ δὲ τοῦ τοιούτου καὶ Λάγος τὸ κύριον, ὁμοίως τῷ, ἀργὸς Ἄργος. Ὅμηρος δέ, φασι, λαγωὸν λέγει ἴσως διὰ τὸ μέτρον); Etymologicum Magnum, Kallierges,, p. 554 (Λαγώς: Παρὰ τὸ ΛΑ ἐπιτατικὸν καὶ τὸ ὦς ὠτὸς Δωρικῶς γίνεται, ὁ μεγάλα ὦτα ἔχων. Ἢ τὸ λάειν, ὅ ἐστι βλέπειν· λέγεται γὰρ μὴ μύειν κοιμώμενος. Ἐκ τοῦ λαγὼς γίνεται λαγῷος τὸ ἐπίθετον· καὶ λαγῷα κρέα)
Comment
Derivational etymology, relying on a characteristic behavior of the animal, always looking around for fear of predators.