ῥαίω
Word
Validation
Yes
Word-form
γραῖα
Word-lemma
Etymon-lemma
Transliteration (Word)
graia
English translation (word)
old woman
Transliteration (Etymon)
rhaiō
English translation (etymon)
to destroy
Source
Idem
Ref.
Etym. Magnum, Kallierges p. 239
Ed.
T. Gaisford, Etymologicum magnum, Oxford: Oxford University Press, 1848
Quotation
Γραῖα: Παρὰ τὸ ῥαίω, τὸ φθείρω, ἡ ὑπὸ χρόνου διεφθαρμένη. Ἢ παρὰ τὸ γεραιὸς, γεραιά· καὶ ἐν συγκοπῇ, γραῖα
Translation (En)
Graia "old woman": from rhaiō "to destroy", the one who is destroyed by time. Or from geraios "old", <feminine> geraia, and through syncope graia
Parallels
Ps.-Zonaras, Lexicon, gamma, p. 453 (Γραῦς. καὶ κλίνεται γραός. ἔστι καὶ ἡ γραία, τῆς γραίας […] τὸ δὲ εἴρηται παρὰ τὸ ῥαίω, ῥαῦς καὶ γραῦς, ἡ κατεξυσμένη τὸ σῶμα)
Modern etymology
Γραῖα is derived from γραῦς
Persistence in Modern Greek
In Modern Greek the word to designate the 'old woman' is "γριά", which is also used in compounds as "γρια-". There also is the undermining diminutive γραΐδιο.
Entry By
Le Feuvre
Comment
See γραῦς / ῥαίω