ἵημι
Word
Validation
No
Word-form
ἴτρον
Word-lemma
Etymon-lemma
Transliteration (Word)
ētron
English translation (word)
abdomen
Transliteration (Etymon)
hiēmi
English translation (etymon)
to throw
Century
9 AD
Source
idem
Ref.
De natura hominis, p. 109
Ed.
J. A. Cramer, Anecdota Graeca e codd. manuscriptis bibliothecarum Oxoniensium, vol. 3, Oxford: Oxford University Press, 1836 (repr. Amsterdam: Hakkert, 1963)
Quotation
ὅντινα τόπον ἐφήβαιον καὶ ἴτρον ἐκάλεσαν· ἴτρον μὲν διὰ τὸ ἔντερον, ἐκ τοῦ ἵημι τὸ πέμπω, ἴητρον, καὶ ἐν συγκοπῇ ἴτρον· τὸ πέμπον τὸ περίττωμα κάτω
Translation (En)
They called this place ephēbaion "pubes" and ētron "abdomen". ētron because of the guts, from hiēmi "to throw", *hiētron, and by syncope itron, that sending downwards the leftover
Parallels
Leo Medicus, De natura hominum synopsis 72 (ὅντινα τόπον ἥβην καὶ ἦτρον ἐκάλεσαν. ἦτρον, ἔντερον, ἐκ τοῦ ἵημι, τὸ πέμπω, ἵητρον καὶ ἐν συγκοπῇ ἦτρον); Etym. Magnum, Kallierges, p. 439 (Ἦτρον: Τὸ ὑπὸ τὸν ὀμφαλὸν μέρος· ὅθεν Νίκανδρος ἐπὶ τῆς ἐντεριώνης τίθησι. Παρὰ τὸ ἄτριον, (ὅ ἐστιν ὕφασμα,) ἄτρον καὶ ἦτρον. Ἢ παρὰ τὸ ἰέναι τὸ οὖρον διὰ τούτου) [confusion between ἰέναι "to go" and ἱέναι "to send"]
Modern etymology
Belongs with ἦτορ "heart". Cognate with OHG ādara- "vein", plur. "guts", OIr. in-athar "guts" (Beekes, EDG)
Persistence in Modern Greek
No
Entry By
Le Feuvre
Comment
Derivational etymology. Meletius' ἴτρον reflects a iotacizing pronunciation. The lower abdomen is where the guts are located, therefore it is etymologized by reference to the function of the guts