λα- + χέω

Validation

No

Last modification

Sat, 10/07/2023 - 10:05

Word-form

λήκυθος

Transliteration (Word)

lēkuthos

English translation (word)

oil-flask

Transliteration (Etymon)

la- + kheō

English translation (etymon)

greatly + to pour

Author

Etym. Genuinum

Century

9 AD

Source

idem

Ref.

Etym. Genuinum, lambda 89

Ed.

K. Alpers, Bericht über Stand und Methode der Ausgabe des Etymologicum genuinum [Danske Videnskabernes Selskab, Hist.-filol. Meddelelser 44.3. Copenhagen: Munksgaard, 1969]

Quotation

Λήκυθος: ἀγγεῖον τὸ λεγόμενον λαγύνιον. παρὰ τὸ λάχυτός τις οὖσα. ἢ παρὰ τὸ κύτος λάκυτός τις οὖσα, ἡ μέγα κύτος ἔχουσα.

Translation (En)

Lēkuthos "oil-flask": a vase also called lagunion "small flask". From la-khutos "greatly poured", as it were. Or from kutos "hollow", *lakutos, as it were, the one "having a large hollow"

Comment

Compositional etymology relying on the observation of the action of dissimilation in aspirate consonants: -κυθος is assumed to be a transposition of χυτός "poured" (verbal adjective of χέω), as Ionic κιθών vs Attic χιτών "tunic", or Attic ἐνταῦθα vs Ionic ἐνθαῦτα "there". Since the vase contains a liquid, its function is to pour, and this etymology could seem natural to a Greek. The first syllable is identified as the intensive prefix λα-, with a change of the vowel (not commented upon).

Parallels

Etym. Magnum, Kallierges, p. 563 ( Λήκυθος: Ἀγγεῖον ἐλαιοδόχον· ἢ τὸ λεγόμενον λαγύνιον· λάχυτός τις οὖσα, παρὰ τὸ μεγάλως χωρεῖν. Ἢ παρὰ τὸ κύτος λάκυτος, ἡ μεγαλόκυτος. Ἢ λεῖον κύτος ἔχουσα· ἢ τὸ προχούδιον, παρὰ τὸ ἔλαιον κεύθειν); Ps.-Zonaras, Lexicon, lambda, p. 1304 (Λήκυθος. ἐλαιοδόχον ἀγγεῖον ἢ λαγύνιον. λάχυτός τις οὖσα. ἢ παρὰ τὸ κύτος τις οὖσα, ἡ μέγα κύτος ἔχουσα. λήκυθος καὶ ἐπὶ ἀρσενικοῦ); Schol. Od. ζ 79c Pontani (ληκύθῳ: τὸ λεγόμενον “λαγύνιον”, παρὰ τὸ “λαχύτος” τις οὖσα)

Modern etymology

Probably a loanword (Beekes, EDG)

Persistence in Modern Greek

MG still has λήκυθος as a learned technical word

Entry By

Le Feuvre