νείφω + οὖρον

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Last modification

Sat, 10/22/2022 - 19:00

Word-form

νεφροί

Transliteration (Word)

nephros

English translation (word)

kidney

Transliteration (Etymon)

neiphō + ouron

English translation (etymon)

to snow + urine

Author

Orion

Century

5 AD

Source

Idem

Ref.

Etymologicum, nu p. 108

Ed.

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

Quotation

Νεφροί. παρὰ τὸ νείφεσθαι τῷ οὔρῳ, ὅ ἐστι βρέχεσθαι. φέρεται γὰρ εἰς αὐτούς

Translation (En)

Nephroi "kidneys", are named from the fact that they are sprayed (neiphesthai) —that is, watered— with urine (ourōi), because it is transported down to them

Comment

The word is parsed as a compound of νείφειν "to snow". As νείφειν is supposed to be the etymon of νέφος "cloud" (see νέφος / νείφω), the variant νεφ- in νεφρός is similar to that of νέφος. The end of the word, which for us displays a suffix -ro-, is accounted for by the second syllable of the noun οὖρον "urine", implying that the first syllable is dropped in the compound. From the semantic point of view, νείφω "to snow" is regularly given as an equivalent for βρέχω "to rain" in etymological lexica: this is only an ad hoc device. This etymology was widely accepted in Antiquity and has two variants, according to the verbal voice: in Orion's variant the kidneys are watered because urine is brought to them; in others (see Parallels), the kidneys water because they produce urine

Parallels

Active: A and bT Schol. Φ 204 (204b Erbse) (εἴρηνται δὲ νεφροί, ἀφ’ ὧν νείφεται τὰ οὖρα); Choeroboscus, Epimerismi in Psalmos p. 195 (νεφρός παρὰ τὸ νείφω)

Passive: Meletius, De natura hominis p. 110 (νεφροὶ δὲ παρὰ τὸ νείφεσθαι τῷ οὔρῳ, ὅ ἐστι βρέχεσθαι); Leo Medicus, De natura hominum synopsis 72 (idem); Suda, nu 280 (Νεφροὶ σώματος: εἰς οὓς νείφεται τὸ οὖρον); Etym. Gudianum, nu p. 406 (Νεφρὸς, παρὰ τὸ νείφεσθαι, ὅ ἐστι βρέχεσθαι τῷ οὐρῷ· ἢ διὰ τὸ ἐν νώτῳ φέρεσθαι); Etym. Magnum, Kallierges p. 601 (Νεφρὸς, παρὰ τὸ νείφεσθαι, ὅ ἐστι βρέχεσθαι τῷ οὐρῷ· φέρεται γὰρ εἰς αὐτοὺς τὸ οὖρον· ἢ διὰ τὸ ἐν νώτῳ φέρεσθαι); Ps.-Zonaras, Lexicon, nu p. 1390 (Νεφρός. παρὰ τὸ νείφεσθαι, τὸ οὐρῶ)

Modern etymology

Inherited from PIE *negwhro-, found in Lat. nebrundines (Festus) (Beekes, EDG)

Persistence in Modern Greek

Modern Greek has neutral νεφρό from medieval νεφρά, according to ήπατα. Νεφρο- is also used in many compounds. There is as well the vulgar form νεφρί, from older νεφρίον.

Entry By

Le Feuvre