λείπω

Validation

Yes

Word-form

λοιμός

Transliteration (Word)

loimos

English translation (word)

plague

Transliteration (Etymon)

leipō

English translation (etymon)

to leave

Author

Orion

Century

5 AD

Source

Idem

Ref.

Etymologicum, lambda p. 96

Ed.

F.W. Sturz, Orionis Thebani etymologicon, Leipzig, 1820

Quotation

Λοιμός. ἔλλειψις γὰρ ἑκατέρωθεν, καὶ σωμάτων καὶ τροφῶν

Translation (En)

Loimos "plague" ‹is thus called› because it is a lack (elleipsis) on both sides, both in bodies and in food"

Comment

This etymology is similar to that of λιμός (see λιμός / λείπω). It starts from the o grade of the verb, which is explicit in other sources (see Parallels). The plague weakens bodies, which are consequently lacking forces.

Parallels

Etym. Genuinum, lambda 138 (Λοιμός· ἡ φθορά. παρὰ τὸ λείπω λιμὸς καὶ λοιμός. ἢ παρὰ τὸ λιμᾶν πλεονασμῷ τοῦ Ο); Theognostus, Canones sive De orthographia 343 (ὁποῖον τί ἐστιν τὸ λοιμὸς ἀπὸ 
τοῦ λείπω γεγονὸς κατὰ ἐναλλαγὴν τοῦ π εἰς μ); Epimerismi homerici Il. 1.61b1 (λοιμός· παρὰ τὸ λείπω ῥῆμα, ὁ μέσος παρακείμενος λέλοιπα καὶ 
ἐξ αὐτοῦ λοιπός καὶ τροπῇ τοῦ π εἰς μ λοιμός); Etym. Gudianum, lambda p. 370; Eustathius, Comm. Il. 1, 90 Van der Valk (γίνεται δὲ ὁ λοιμὸς ἐκ τοῦ λέλειμμαι, δι’ οὗ δηλαδὴ λείπουσι τὰ ζῶντα. ἐκεῖθεν δὲ καὶ ὁ διὰ τοῦ ἰῶτα λιμός, ὡς ἀλλαχοῦ φανεῖται); Etym. Magnum, Kallierges, p. 69 (Ἐγὼ  οὖν ὡς λείπω λοιμὸς, οὕτως ἀλείφω ἀλοιμός. Οὕτως Ὦρος); ibid., p. 568 (Τὸ δὲ λοιμὸς σημαίνει τὴν λοιμικὴν νόσον· μεταφορικῶς δὲ τὸν βλαπτικὸν ἀέρα, γίνεται γὰρ παρὰ τὸ λείπω λοιπὸς, καὶ λοιμὸς ἡ φθορά. Ἢ παρὰ τὸ λίαν μᾶν, πλεονασμῷ τοῦ ο. Ἢ παρὰ τὸ λιμός. Λιμὸς μέν ἐστιν ἔνδεια σίτου· λοιμὸς δὲ, ἔνδεια τῶν σωμάτων).

Modern etymology

Within Greek, λῑμός is related to λοιμός. A connection with λιάζομαι "to retire, to fall" has been suggested (RPh 2011, Chronique d'Etymologie grecque n° 13), but is debated

Persistence in Modern Greek

Λοιμός is still used in Modern Greek to designate 1. any epidemic, infectious and fatal disease, 2. the plague (Triandafyllidis Dictionary of Modern Greek)

Entry By

Le Feuvre