γνύξ
Word
Validation
No
Word-form
ἰγνύα
Word-lemma
Etymon-lemma
Transliteration (Word)
ignua
English translation (word)
back part of the knee, ham
Transliteration (Etymon)
gnux
English translation (etymon)
on one's knees
Century
5 AD
Source
idem
Ref.
Etymologicum, gamma, p. 37
Ed.
F. Sturz, Orionis Thebani etymologicon, Leipzig, Weigel, 1820
Quotation
Γνύξ, γόνυξ ἐστίν· ἀντὶ τοῦ ἐπὶ [τοῦ] γόνυ· ἔνθεν ἰγνία, ἡ τὸ γόνυ συνέχουσα
Translation (En)
Gnux "on his knees", is a *gonux; instead of "on the knees"; From there comes ignua "ham", the one contiguous with the knee
Parallels
Meletius, De natura hominis, p. 129 (ἰγνὺς δὲ τὸ ὑποκάτω τοῦ γόνατος καλεῖται· διότι αἴτιόν ἐστιν ἡμῖν τοῦ ἐκνεῖσθαι, ἤγουν ἁπλοῦσθαι· ἢ παρὰ τὸ εἴκειν ἐν ταῖς κάμψεσιν· ἢ παρὰ τὸ τὸ γόνυ συνέχειν); Etym. Gudianum Additamenta, gamma, p. 317 (Γνύξ· γόνυξ· ἐπίρρημα· ἀντὶ τοῦ ἐπὶ γόνυ. ἔνθεν ἰγνύα, ἡ τὸ γόνυ συνέχουσα)
Modern etymology
Compound of γόνυ "knee", probably *ἐν-γνυ- "in the knee" (Beekes, EDG)
Persistence in Modern Greek
No
Entry By
Le Feuvre
Comment
Derivational etymology. The etymology involves three words: the formal etymon of ἰγνύα is the adverb γνύξ, which provides the sequence /gnu/. The i- is an addition. However, the semantic etymon is γόνυ, the etymon of γνύξ, as can be seen from the explanation "contiguous with the knee" (descriptive etymology. Thus, there is a dissociation between form and meaning, since the formal etymon is different from the semantic etymon