ἀρόω

Validation

Yes

Word-form

ἄρουρα

Transliteration (Word)

aroura

English translation (word)

arable land

Transliteration (Etymon)

aroō

English translation (etymon)

to plough

Author

Apollonius Soph.

Century

1 AD

Source

Idem

Ref.

Lexicon homericum, p. 43

Ed.

I. Bekker, Apollonii Sophistae lexicon Homericum, Berlin, 1833

Quotation

ἄρουρα ἡ γῆ, ἀπὸ τοῦ ἀροῦσθαι

Translation (En)

Aroura "arable land" means "earth", from the fact that it is ploughed (aroûsthai)

Comment

This etymology, which correctly derives aroura from aroō "to plough", is much older than Apollonius, but not attested explicitly in older sources. It is implicit in the figura etymologica by Theognis, Elegies 1.580 (ὃς τὴν ἀλλοτρίαν βούλετ’ ἄρουραν ἀροῦν)

Parallels

D Schol. Il. 3.246 (Καρπὸν ἀρούρης. Τῆς γῆς καρπόν. Παρὰ τὸ ἀροῦσθαι αὐτήν); Orion, Etymologicum, alpha, p. 5 (Ἄρουραν, παρὰ τὸ ἀροῦν, ἢ παρὰ τὸ ἀραιοῦσθαι αὐτὴν γεωργουμένην. κυρίως δὲ ἡ πρασορὰν [corrupt reading for <πρὸς σποράν>, see Etym. Gudianum] καὶ ἀροτρίασιν ἐπιτηδείαν); Hesychius, Lexicon, alpha 7378 (ἄρουρα· ἡ γῆ. ἀπὸ τοῦ ἀροῦσθαι); Epimerismi homerici ordine alphabetico traditi, alpha 185 (ἄρουρα (Γ 115): κυρίως ἡ ἠροτριαμένη γῆ· παρὰ τὸ ἀρῶ ἀρόσω ἄρορα καὶ ἄρουρα. τὸ δὲ ἀρῶ παρὰ τὸ Ἄρης, ὃ σημαίνει τὸν σίδηρον· σιδήρῳ γὰρ τέμνεται διὰ τὴν ὕνιν. διαφέρει γῆ καὶ ἄρουρα· γῆ λέγεται ἁπλῶς πᾶσα ἡ ξηρά, ἄρουρα δὲ ἡ πρὸς σπορὰν καρπῶν ἐπιτηδεία); Etym. Gudianum, alpha, p. 203 (idem); Etym. Genuinum, alpha 1212 (Ἄρουρα· ἡ γῆ· κυρίως ἡ πρὸς σπορὰν καὶ ἄροσιν ἐπιτηδεία· παρὰ τὸ ἀροῦν, ἢ παρὰ τὸ ἀραιοῦσθαι τὴν γεωργουμένην γῆν); Etym. Parvum, alpha 3 (Ἄρουρα· παρὰ τὸ ἀρῶ, τὸ ἀροτριῶ· ἢ παρὰ τὸ ἀραιοῦσθαι τὴν γεωργουμένην γῆν); Etym. Gudianum, alpha, p. 203 (Ὠρίωνος Ἄρουρα· παρὰ τὸ ἀραιοῦσθαι <αὐ>τὴν γεωργουμένην. κυρίως δὲ ἡ πρὸς σπορὰν καὶ ἄροσιν ἐπιτηδεία. ‖ ἢ παρὰ τὸ ἀρῶ, τὸ ἀροτριῶ· ἢ παρὰ τὸ ἀραιοῦσθαι τὴν γῆν τὴν γεωργουμένην); Etym. Gudianum Additamenta, alpha, p. 203 (Ἄρουρα· ἡ γῆ· παρὰ τὸ ἀρ⟦ῶ⟧, τὸ ἀροτριῶ, ἄρορα καὶ ἄρουρα πλεονασμῷ τοῦ υ); Eustathius, Comm. Il. 1, 647 (ἄρουρα ἡ ἀρουμένη γῆ); Etym. Magnum, Kallierges p. 147 (Ἄρουρα: Ἡ γῆ· κυρίως, ἡ ἠροτριασμένη, ἢ ἡ πρὸς σπορὰν καὶ ἄροσιν ἐπιτηδεία. Ἀρῶ, ἀρόσω, ἄρουρα. Καὶ ἄρουρα, παρὰ τὸ ἀροῦν, ἢ παρὰ τὸ ἀραιοῦσθαι τὴν γεωργουμένην γῆν); Ps.-Zonaras, Lexicon, alpha, p. 299 (Ἄρουρα. κυρίως ἡ γῆ, ἡ πρὸς σπορὰν ἐπιτηδεία γῆ. παρὰ τὸ ἀροῦν. ἢ παρὰ τὸ ἀραιοῦσθαι τὴν γεωργουμένην γῆν)

Modern etymology

Ἄρουρα is a derivative from root *h3erh3- "to plough", found in ἀρόω, ἄροτρον “plough", Lat. aratrum (Beekes, EDG)

Persistence in Modern Greek

The word is not preserved in Modern Greek, but the derivative αρουραίος "rat", rodent dwelling “in the fields" is still used as a scientific word. Metaphorically, αρουραίος refers to a worthless man

Entry By

Le Feuvre