χέω

Validation

Yes

Last modification

Mon, 10/16/2023 - 12:05

Word-form

χειμών

Transliteration (Word)

kheimōn

English translation (word)

winter

Transliteration (Etymon)

kheō

English translation (etymon)

to pour

Author

Herodian

Century

2 AD

Reference

De orthographia, Lentz III/2, p. 604

Edition

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

Source

Choeroboscus

Ref.

De orthographia (epitome), p. 728

Ed.

J. A. Cramer, Anecdota Graeca e codd. manuscriptis bibliothecarum Oxoniensium, vol. 2, Oxford: Oxford University Press, 1835 (repr. Amsterdam: Hakkert, 1963)

Quotation

Χείμων: ει δίφθογγος παρὰ τὸ χέω

Translation (En)

Kheimōn "winter". (with) diphthong /ei/, from kheō "to pour"

Comment

Derivational descriptive etymology. The name of the season is etymologized after one of its characteristic features, namely, that it is the rainy season. This is a shorter version of the etymology, the fuller version is χέω → χεῖμα → χειμών (see χειμών / χεῖμα)

Parallels

Etym. Gudianum, khi, p. 563 (Χειμὼν, παρὰ τὸ χέω, ὁ ἐν τῇ γῇ χεόμενος); Eustathius, Comm. Il., vol. 3, p. 391 (ἐκ τοῦ χέειν γὰρ ἡ χιών, ὥσπερ καὶ ὁ χειμών, [εἰ καὶ ὁ μὲν χειμὼν εὐλόγως φυλάξας τὸ ε τοῦ θέματος προσέλαβε τὸ ι, ἡ δὲ χιὼν κατ’ ἄλλην ἀναλογίαν ἐξέπεσε τοῦ θεματικοῦ ε)

Modern etymology

Inherited name of the winter, belongs with χιών "snow". PIE *hhim-, with cognates in most IE languages (Beekes, EDG)

Persistence in Modern Greek

MG still has χειμώνας "winter"

Entry By

Le Feuvre