ὀρέγω

Validation

No

Last modification

Mon, 04/28/2025 - 12:00

Word-form

ὄργυια

Transliteration (Word)

orguia

English translation (word)

length of the outstretched arms

Transliteration (Etymon)

oregō

English translation (etymon)

to reach at

Author

Herodian

Century

2 AD

Source

idem

Ref.

De prosodia cathólica

Ed.

A. Lentz, Grammatici graeci III/1, Leipzig, Teubner 1867

Quotation

ὡς παρὰ τὸ ἅρπω ἅρπυια, ὀρέγω ὄργυια, ἃ πληθυντικῶς ὀξύνεται.

Translation (En)

As from harpō harpuia, from oregō "to reach at" orguia "length of the outstretched arms", which, in the plural, is oxytone

Comment

Derivational etymology, requiring a syncope of the vowel /e/ in the etymon. Semantically, the etymology is simple: in order to reach something, you have to extend the arms.

Parallels

Eustathius, Comm. Il., vol. 3, p. 430 (διὸ ἐκ τοῦ τοιούτου ὀρέγω καὶ ἡ ὀργυιὰ κατὰ συγκοπήν); Eustathius, Exegesis in canonem iambicum pentecostalem 1.155 (κεῖται γὰρ τὸ ὀρέγειν καὶ ἐπὶ τοιούτου σημαινομένου, ὡς τὸ ὄρεξόν μοι χεῖρα βοηθείας ἤγουν ἔκτεινον, δός· ἐξ οὗ καὶ ἡ παροξυτόνως ὀργυία ἢ κατὰ τοὺς παλαιοὺς προπαροξυτόνως ὄργυια, ὅθεν τὸ ὀργυιοῦσθαι κατὰ τοὺς ναυτικοὺς φώσωνας)

Modern etymology

Probably related within Greek with ὀρέγω, reflecting a zero grade *h3rg- (Beekes, EDG)

Persistence in Modern Greek

No

Entry By

Le Feuvre