αἴθω

Validation

Yes

Word-form

ἀστήρ

Transliteration (Word)

astēr

English translation (word)

star

Transliteration (Etymon)

aithō

English translation (etymon)

to burn

Author

Choeroboscus

Century

9 AD

Source

Idem

Ref.

Prolegomena et scholia in Theodosii Alexandrini Canones isagogicos de flexione nominum, p. 298

Ed.

A. Hilgard, Grammatici Graeci, vol. 4.1, Leipzig: Teubner, 1894 (repr. Hildesheim: Olms, 1965)

Quotation

καὶ πάλιν ἀπὸ τοῦ αἴθω γίνεται ἀθήρ καὶ ἀτήρ καὶ ἐν πλεονασμῷ τοῦ ς ἀστήρ ἀστέρος, οἱονεὶ ὁ καυστικὸς καὶ διαφανὴς καὶ λαμπρός

Translation (En)

And again from aithō "to burn" comes *athēr, and *atēr, and through adjunction of [s], astēr, asteros "star", as it is the burning, visible and shining one

Comment

This etymology assigns to ἀστήρ the same etymon as to ἄστρον (see ἄστρον / αἴθω). It does not appear in Choeroboscus, but it seems to derive ἀστήρ from αἰθήρ, itself derived from αἴθω (this is explicit in Eustathius, see Parallels), αἰθήρ being the logical intermediate step between αἴθω and the ghost form *ἀθήρ given by Choeroboscus. The star is defined through its igneous nature

Parallels

Etym. Gudianum Additamenta, alpha, p. 219 (Ἀστήρ· παρὰ τὸ αἴθω, τὸ λάμπω, αἰστήρ καὶ ἀποβολῇ τοῦ ι ἀστήρ· ἢ ὁ μὴ στάσιν ἔχων); Eustathius, Comm. Il. 2, 9 (Ὅθεν καὶ ἀπὸ τοῦ αἴθειν ὁ ἀστήρ, ὡς ἐρρέθη, παράγεται); ibid. 2, 6 (ἀπὸ τοῦ αἴθειν παραγόμενος, ὃ ταὐτὸν τῷ δαίειν ἐστίν. αἰστὴρ γάρ τις ἀπὸ τοῦ αἴθειν καὶ ἀπελεύσει τοῦ διχρόνου ἀστήρ); ibid. 2, 503 (Αἴθων δὲ σίδηρος ἢ ὁ λαμπρός, ἀπὸ τοῦ αἴθω, τὸ λάμπω, ἐξ οὗ καὶ ὁ ἀστήρ); ibid. 4, 539 (εἴγε παρὰ τὸ αἴθειν καὶ ὁ αἰθὴρ καὶ οἱ ἀστέρες γίνονται); Eustathius, Comm. Od. 1, 264 (ἐξ οὗ περ αἴθειν καὶ αἰθὴρ καὶ ἄστρον καὶ ἀστήρ); ibid. 2, 94 (Τὸ δὲ ἀστὴρ ὣς ἀπέλαμπεν ἐτυμολογίαν τε ἀστέρος ὑποβάλλει νοεῖν, ὃς ἀπὸ τοῦ αἴθειν, ὅ πέρ ἐστι λάμπειν, λέγεται); Etym. Magnum, Kallierges p. 159 (Ἄστρον: Παρὰ τὸ αἴθω, τὸ καίω, αἴσω, γίνεται αἶστρον· καὶ ἀποβολῇ τοῦ ι, ἄστρον καὶ ἀστήρ. Ἢ παρὰ τὸ στῶ, στήσω, στήρ)

Modern etymology

Old name of the "star", inherited from PIE *h2ster-, cognate with Lat. stella, Goth. stairno (Beekes, EDG)

Persistence in Modern Greek

Modern Greek has "αστέρι" and "αστέρας". The first denotes 1. any celestial body except the moon, 2. stars influencing one's life, 3. a famous person. The second has almost the same usage.

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