ἀνθηρός + ὄψ

Validation

Yes

Word-form

ἄνθρωπος

Transliteration (Word)

anthrōpos

English translation (word)

man, human

Transliteration (Etymon)

anthēros + ops

English translation (etymon)

blooming + voice

Author

Etymologicum Magnum

Century

12 AD

Source

Idem

Ref.

Etym. Magnum, Kallierges p. 109

Ed.

F. Lasserre and N. Livadaras, Etymologicum magnum genuinum. Symeonis etymologicum una cum magna grammatica. Etymologicum magnum auctum, vol. 1, Rome: Ateneo, 1976

Quotation

ἄνθρωπος […] Ἢ παρὰ τὸ ἀνθηρὰν ὄπα ἔχειν

Translation (En)

"man" (anthrōpos) […] or from the fact that he has a "blooming" (anthēros) "voice" (ops)

Comment

The word ops is ambiguous, since there is another word (ὄψ 2) meaning "eye". This latter could well be the sense suggested by the Etymologicum Magnum, if we consider the significant diffusion of the Cratylian etymology (linking ἄνθρωπος to ὁράω). In the absence of any details on the etymology and of any parallel it is impossible to settle the matter. However the adjective seems to mark better the voice

Parallels

No parallels

Modern etymology

Mycenaean a-to-ro-qo shows that the word has as its second element ops "sight, aspect" and not ops "voice". The identification of the first element of the compound remains debated. Beekes (EDG) thinks it is Pre-Greek

Persistence in Modern Greek

The word is still used in MG with the meaning ‘man’, primarily denoting the superior rank of mammals, having as attributes the standing position, reason and articulated language, by distinguishing mankind from other animals (Triandafyllidis, Dict. of MG)

Entry By

Arnaud Zucker