δυσ- + στένω

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No

Last modification

Mon, 12/22/2025 - 20:45

Word-form

δύστηνος

Transliteration (Word)

dustēnos

English translation (word)

unhappy, wretched

Transliteration (Etymon)

dus- + stenō

English translation (etymon)

badly + to moan

Author

Orion

Century

5 AD

Source

idem

Ref.

Etymologicum, delta, p. 49

Ed.

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

Quotation

Δύστηνος. παρὰ τὸ στένειν, τροπῇ τοῦ ε εἰς η.

Translation (En)

Dustēnos "unhappy". From stenein "to moan", by change of /e/ to /ē/

Comment

Since the lemma has a negative meaning, as all words in δυσ-, the pejorative prefix, its etymon was sought in a word that has itself negative meaning. The assumed etymon, στένω, means "to moan", which is indeed negative. The lengthening of /e/ to /ē/, explicit in later sources, relies on the familiar alternation ε ~ η. The etymon is the consequence of the lemma (you moan because you are unhappy). The presence of the prefix δυσ- is not mentioned because it is obvious.

Parallels

Συναγωγὴ λέξεων χρησίμων, delta 429 (δύστηνος· ταλαίπωρος, δυστυχής, ἄθλιος. παρὰ τὸ στένω); Epimerismi homerici ordine alphabetico traditi, delta 73 (δύστηνος: σύνθετον παρὰ τὸ δυς καὶ τὸ στένω. εἰ οὖν τὸ στένω ἔχει τὸ σ, ὤφειλε διὰ δύο σσ γράφεσθαι· δύσστηνος); Etym. Gudianum, delta, p. 384 (Δύστηνος· παρὰ τὸ στένειν ἐπεκτάσει τοῦ ε εἰς η); Etym. Gudianum Additamenta, delta, p. 384 (Δύστηνος· ὁ δυστυχής· παρὰ τὸ στένω καὶ τὸ δύς ἐπίρρημα καὶ ἐν ἐκτάσει δύστηνος καὶ ἀποβολῇ τοῦ ς· ὁ ἀεὶ κακῶς στένων. τὸ δ’ αὐτὸ καὶ ἄστηνος, τοῦ α ἐπίτασιν σημαίνοντος); Etym. Magnum, Kallierges, p. 292 (Δύστηνος: Δυστυχὴς, ταλαίπωρος, ἄθλιος. Ἢ παρὰ τὸ στῆναι, οἱονεὶ ὁ μὴ δυνάμενος στῆναι· ἢ ἀπὸ τοῦ στένω καὶ τοῦ ΔΥΣ ἐπιρρήματος, ὁ πάνυ στένων, ὁ ἀεὶ κακός); Etym. Symeonis, delta 406 (Δύστηνος· ταλαίπωρος, δυστυχής· ἢ παρὰ τὸ στῆναι ἐγένετο δύστηνος οἱονεὶ ὁ μὴ δυνάμενος στῆναι· ἢ ἀπὸ τοῦ στένω ὁ πάνυ στένων); Schol. in Sophoclem, Aj. 122 (idem) Ps.-Zonaras, Lexicon, delta, p. 577 (Δύστηνος. ἄθλιος, *φρικωδέστατος·* ταλαίπωρος. παρὰ τὸ στῆναι· οἱονεὶ ὁ μὴ δυνάμενος στῆναι. ἢ ἀπὸ τοῦ στένω, οἱονεὶ ὁ πάνυ στένων)

Modern etymology

The second member of the compound is probably from the root *steh2-, the original meaning must be "who has a bad standing" (Beekes, EDG)

Persistence in Modern Greek

No

Entry By

Le Feuvre