κήρ
Word
Validation
No
Word-form
κεραΐζειν
Word-lemma
Etymon-lemma
Transliteration (Word)
keraïzō
English translation (word)
to ravage, to plunder
Transliteration (Etymon)
kēr
English translation (etymon)
deity of death, death
Century
11AD
Source
idem
Ref.
Etym. Gudianum, kappa, p. 315
Ed.
F. Sturz, Etymologicum Graecae linguae Gudianum et alia grammaticorum scripta e codicibus manuscriptis nunc primum edita, Leipzig: Weigel, 1818 (repr. Hildesheim: Olms, 1973)
Quotation
(s.v. κέρας) τὸ δὲ κεραΐζειν δύναται παρὰ τὸ κῆρα τὸν θάνατον τὸν φθείροντα καὶ θανατοῦντα.
Translation (En)
However, the word keraïzō "to destroy" may also come from kēr "death", the one that destroys and kills
Parallels
Etym. Magnum, Kallierges, p. 504 (Κεραΐζειν: Τὸ πορθεῖν, καὶ κενοῦν, καὶ διαφθείρειν· ἡ μεταφορὰ ἀπὸ τῶν κέρασι χρωμένων ζῴων· ἢ παρὰ τὴν κῆρα, τὸν θάνατον); Scholia in Oppianum, Hal. 2.610 (κεραΐζων· κόπτων, κατακόπτων, φθείρων, διακόπτων, πορθῶν καὶ διαφθείρων· ἡ μεταφορὰ ἐκ τῶν κέρασι χρωμένων ζώων εἶναι (δοκεῖ?), καὶ παρὰ τὴν κῆρα τὴν θάλασσαν (sic).)
Modern etymology
From *k̑erh2- "damage", cognate with Ved. śr̥ṇā́ti "he breaks" (Beekes, EDG)
Persistence in Modern Greek
No
Entry By
Le Feuvre
Comment
Derivational etymology relying on the familiar alternation ε ~ η. The etymon is assumed to be the agent of the process: death is the destroying one