δονέω
Word
Validation
Word-form
Word-lemma
Etymon-lemma
Transliteration (Word)
English translation (word)
Transliteration (Etymon)
English translation (etymon)
Source
Ref.
Ed.
Quotation
Δόνακας. Καλάμους. Ἀπὸ τοῦ δονεῖσθαι.
Translation (En)
Donakas "reeds". From doneisthai "to be shaken"
Parallels
Nonnos, Dion. 19.294 (ὀξυτενὴς σύριζε δόναξ δεδονημένος αὔραις) [implicit etymology]; Hesychius, Lexicon, delta 2186 (δόνακα· κάλαμον r Κρῆτες, παρὰ τὸ δονεῖσθαι); Etym. Gudianum, delta, p. 374 (Δόναξ· παρὰ τὸ δονεῖσθαι εὐχερῶς πεφυτευμένον); Eustathius, Comm. Il., vol. 3, p. 113 (Δόνακες δὲ εἶδος καλάμου, λεπτοὶ καλαμίσκοι, οὓς οἱ μεθ’ Ὅμηρον καλοῦσι δονάκια, παρὰ τὸ ῥᾷον δονεῖσθαι); Etym. Magnum, Kallierges, p. 283 (Δόνακες: Κάλαμοι ἁλιευτικοὶ, ἢ αὐλοί· πρότερον γὰρ ταῖς θύραις ἀντὶ κέρατος ἐτίθουν καλάμους. Σημαίνει δύο· καλάμους, ἀπὸ τοῦ ἐν δονήσει τὴν φυτείαν ὁρᾶσθαι, οἷον ἐν κινήσει); Etym. Symeonis, delta 323 (Δόναξ· ὁ κάλαμος· παρὰ τὸ δίνω, τὸ συστρέφω, καὶ ὡς λίθος λίθαξ· οὕτως δῖνος δίναξ καὶ τροπῇ δόναξ, οἱ γὰρ ταρασσόμενοι συστρέφονται· ἢ παρὰ τὸ δονεῖσθαι); Scholia in Oppianum, Hal. 1.32 (Δόναξ ὁ κάλαμος ὁ ἁλιευτικὸς, ἢ αὐλός· πρότερον γὰρ ταῖς θήραις ἀντὶ κέρατος ἐτίθεσαν καλάμους, γίνεται δὲ παρὰ τὸ δονῶ τὸ συστρέφω· ὁ ταῖς τῶν ἀνέμων πνοαῖς λίαν στρεφόμενος)
Comment
Derivational etymology, probably going back to classical scholarship. The reeds would be so named because they are flexible and move when the wind blows. Since the assumed etymon δονέω also means "to murmur, to buzz", the etymology could also be understood as a reference to the pipe. Thus, it unites in a single etymon the two meanings of the word, the plant, which is "shaken" and the instrument, which "murmurs". The lemma and the etymon share the initial sequence /don/.