δῆλος
Word
Validation
Yes
Word-form
Δᾶλον
Word-lemma
Etymon-lemma
Transliteration (Word)
Dālos
English translation (word)
Delos
Transliteration (Etymon)
dēlos
English translation (etymon)
clear
Century
5 BC
Reference
fr. 33c, 4-6
Edition
H. Maehler, Pindari carmina cum fragmentis, pt. 2 (4th ed.), Leipzig: Teubner, 1975
Source
Theophrastus
Ref.
Physicorum opiniones 12.29
Ed.
H. Diels, Doxographi Graeci, Berlin, 1879
Quotation
Translation (En)
[…] which mortals call Dâlon, but the gods on Olympus the têlephanton "visible-from-afar” astron “star” of the dark earth
Parallels
See Callimachus, Hymn 4.36-40 (on Delos' former name Asteria), Hymn 4.53-54 (etymology of Delos' name).
Modern etymology
Δῆλος is from *δέαλος, cognate with δέατο "he appeared", from *deih2- (Beekes, EDG)
Persistence in Modern Greek
The adjective is no longer used in Modern Greek, except for some cases of compound adjectives, such as πρόδηλος, κατάδηλος etc. However, the name of the sacred island still exists.
Comment
IMPLICIT ETYMOLOGY. See Δῆλος. Play on divine name vs human name : the divine name plays both on the former name of the island, Asteria (ἄστρον "star") and on its modern name Delos, in Doric Dâlos, meaning "visible" (τηλέφαντος "visible from afar"). The etymon of the modern name is replaced by a rare compound (not attested before Pindar in the current state of our documentation) used as an epithet of the former name