πίνω

Validation

Yes

Word-form

φιάλη

Transliteration (Word)

phialē

English translation (word)

drinking cup

Transliteration (Etymon)

pinō

English translation (etymon)

to drink

Author

Herodian

Century

2 AD

Source

Idem

Ref.

Peri orthographias, Lentz III/2, p. 600

Ed.

A. Lentz, Grammatici graeci III/2, Leipzig, Teubner 1867

Quotation

φιάλη: διὰ τοῦ ι· παρὰ γὰρ τὸ πίω πιάλη ὡς νείφω νεφέλη καὶ φιάλη. ἢ παρὰ τὸ πίω καὶ τὸ ἅλις, ἀφ’ ἧς ἐστι πιεῖν ἅλις τουτέστιν ἀθρόως διὰ τὸ ἐξεπληρῶσθαι

Translation (En)

Phialē "drinking cup", with an [i] > From piō ("to drink"), *pialē, as from neiphō ("to snow") nephelē ("cloud"), and phialē. Or from piō ("to drink") and halis ("in abundance"), from which one can drink in abundance, that is, abundantly, because it has been filled

Comment

This etymology analyzes the word as a derivative, not as a compound, and compares the derivation with the pair νείφω / νεφέλη although they are not directly identical (-άλη in φιάλη versus -έλη in νεφέλη). The alternative etymology parsing the word as a compound with ἅλις, also quoted by Herodian, is known to be older than Herodian (see φιάλη / πίνω + ἅλις) who, however, gives the preference to the first explanation

Parallels

Orion, Etymologicum, phi, p. 158 (Φιάλη. κατὰ μετάθεσιν τοῦ π εἰς φ. πιάλη τὶς οὖσα. παρὰ τὸν πίω ἐνεστῶτα); Eustathius, Comm. Il. 2, 100 (Οὕτω καὶ ἐκ τοῦ πίνειν ἡ φιάλη γέγονε); Ps.-Zonaras, Lexicon, phi, p. 1810 (Φιάλη. παρὰ τὸ πίνω, [κατὰ μετάθεσιν τοῦ π εἰς φ, πιάλη τὶς οὖσα])

Modern etymology

Unknown. Probably a loanword (Beekes, EDG)

Persistence in Modern Greek

Yes

Entry By

Le Feuvre