λήγω

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Last modification

Mon, 10/16/2023 - 11:05

Word-form

λαγών

Transliteration (Word)

lagōn

English translation (word)

flank

Transliteration (Etymon)

lēgō

English translation (etymon)

to cease

Author

Herodian

Century

2 AD

Reference

De orthographia, Lentz III/2, p. 418

Edition

A. Lentz, Grammatici graeci, vol. 3/2, Leipzig, 1870

Source

Orion

Ref.

Etymologicum, nu, p. 108

Ed.

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

Quotation

Νέαιρα. τὸ ἔσχατον τῆς κοιλίας. νέον νέατον τὸ ἔσχατον. ὅθεν καὶ λαγὼν παρὰ τὸ λήγειν. Ἡρωδιανὸς ἐν Ὀρθογραφίᾳ.

Translation (En)

Neaira "lower belly": the bottom of the abdominal cavity, neon, neaton "the extremity". This is why also lagōn "flank" comes from lēgein "to cease". Herodian in the De orthographia

Comment

Derivational etymology. The flank is the body part below the ribs, therefore it could be etymologized as the place where the thorax ends. The etymology is provided as a parallel to the etymology of νέαιρα/νείαιρα "lower belly" by νέατος "at the extremity". Both etymologize the lemma after the position of the body part. Both etymologies seem to be by Herodian

Parallels

Meletius, De natura hominis, p. 109 ( λαγὼν δὲ παρὰ τὸ λήγω· ἐκεῖσε γὰρ λήγουσιν αἱ πλευραί); Leo Medicus, De natura hominum synopsis 72 (λαγὼν δὲ λέγεται παρὰ τὸ λῆγον· ἐκεῖσε γὰρ λήγουσιν αἱ πλευραί); Choeroboscus, Prolegomena et scholia in Theodosii alexandrini Canones isagogicos de flexione nominum, p. 236 (καὶ παρὰ τὸ λήγω γίνεται λαγών, οἱονεὶ ᾧ λήγει ἡ κοιλία); Eustathius, Comm. Il., vol. 2, p. 245 (Καὶ γίνεται λαγὼν μέν, ὡς καὶ ἀλλαχοῦ ἐρρέθη, παρὰ τὸ λήγειν, ἔνθα λήγουσι τὰ ὀστώδη πλευρά); Etym. Magnum, Kallierges, p. 599 (Νέατον δὲ, τὸ ἔσχατον· ὅθεν καὶ λαγὼν τὸ αὐτὸ εἴρηται παρὰ τὸ λήγειν); Ps.-Zonaras, Lexicon, nu, p. 1391 (Νέαιρα. τὸ ἔσχατον μέρος τῆς κοιλίας. παρὰ τὸ νέω γέγονε νέαιρα. καὶ νέατον τὸ ἔσχατον. ὅθεν καὶ λαγὼν τὸ αὐτὸ εἴρηται. [παρὰ τὸ λήγω.])

Modern etymology

Belongs with λαγαρός "slack" and with λήγω il the proper meaning of the latter is "to be slack". Cognate with Engl. slack (Beekes, EDG)

Persistence in Modern Greek

MG has λαγόνα to designate the lower flanks of a cooking pot

Entry By

Le Feuvre