ἀγαπάω + θεός
Word
Validation
Yes
Word-form
ἀγαθόν
Word-lemma
Transliteration (Word)
agathos
English translation (word)
good
Transliteration (Etymon)
agapaō + theos
English translation (etymon)
to love + god
Century
2 AD
Source
Eudemus
Ref.
On Rhetorical language 2a, 17
Ed.
B. Niese, "Excerpta ex Eudemi codice Parisino n. 2635," Philologus suppl. 15 (1922): 145-160
Quotation
ἀγαθόν: τὸ ἄγαν θείων (?). ἢ τὸ ἀγαπᾶν τὸν θεόν
Translation (En)
"good" : the fact of being extremely divine, or to "love god"
Parallels
Etym. Gudianum, alpha, p. 6 De Stefani (ἀγαθόν: τὸ ἄγαν θείων. ἢ τὸ ἀγαπᾶν τὸν θεόν); Etym. Magnum, Kallierges p. 5.27 (<Ἀγαθόν>: Τὸ ἄγαν θεῖον· ἢ τὸ ἀγαπᾶν τὸν θεόν)
Modern etymology
Most linguists nowadays see ἀγαθός as a compound with the same segmentation, the first element being identified as the zero grade of μέγας "large", and the second element as *-dhh1-o-, see τίθημι (doubts in Beekes, EDG)
Persistence in Modern Greek
The word is still used in MG with a certain semantic variation, due to the Christian influence. It designates: 1. virtuous, good, gentle, benevolent, 2. naive, someone who easily trusts anybody (as also the adjective "αγαθιάρης").
Entry By
Arnaud Zucker
Comment
This ancient etymology is never emphasized and in both Etymologica (in Etym. Gudianum as well as in Etym. Magnum which excerpts from the former), this option appears among other more traditional combinations. Note that the strange syntax of the first part of the excerpt, with plural genitive θείων instead of nominative singular θεῖον (cf. Etym. Magnum : τὸ ἄγαν θεῖον) may refer to a proverb (see Clearchus, fr. 51c Wehrli: Διὸς ἐγκέφαλος: παροιμία, ἣν Κλέαρχος φησὶν εἰρῆσθαι οἷον ἐπὶ τῶν ἄγαν θείων).