λέπω
Word
Validation
Word-form
Word-lemma
Etymon-lemma
Transliteration (Word)
English translation (word)
Transliteration (Etymon)
English translation (etymon)
Century
Reference
Edition
Source
Ref.
Ed.
Quotation
σαπρός· παρὰ τὸ σήπω σαπρός, ὡς παρὰ τὸ λέπω λεπρός
Translation (En)
Sapros "rotten": from sēpō "to corrupt, to rot", as from lepō "to peel" lepros "scabby"
Parallels
Etym. Parvum, lambda 10 (Orion Λεπρός· παρὰ τὸ λέπος, λεπηρὸς καὶ λεπρός· ἢ παρὰ τὸ λέπω τὸ λεπίζω, ὁ μέλλων λέψω, ὁ παρακείμενος λέλεφα λέλεμμαι λέλεψαι λέλεπται, καὶ ἐξ αὐτοῦ λεπτὸς καὶ τροπῇ τοῦ Τ εἰς Ρ λεπρός); Suda, alpha 302 (λεπρῶν δὲ οἱ μὲν ἀπὸ τοῦ λέπειν, ὅ ἐστι τύπτειν); Etym. Gudianum, lambda, p. 366 (Λεπρὸς, λευκὸς παρὰ φύσιν, παρὰ τὸ λέπω λεπηρὸς καὶ λεπρός· ἢ παρὰ τὸ λέπω καὶ τὸ ῥαίω, ἡ διεῤῥηκυῖα σάρξ); Eustathius, Comm. Od. 2, 201 (Τοῦ δὲ λέπειν, ἐξ οὗ καὶ τὸ λέμμα καὶ ἡ λεπὰς καὶ ἡ λεπρὰς καὶ ὁ λεπηρὸς καὶ ἐν συγκοπῇ λεπρὸς καὶ ἡ λεπὶς καὶ ὁ ἀλέπιστος καθά τις εἶπεν ἰχθὺς […]); Ps.-Zonaras, Lexicon, sigma, p. 1627 (Σαπρὸς καὶ σαπρία, ὁ ἀφανισμός. ἀπὸ τοῦ σήπω, ὡς λέπω λεπρός); Scholia in Aristophanem, Acharnenses 721 (τοὺς δ’ ἱμάντας ἐκ Λεπρῶν: οἱ μὲν ἀπὸ τοῦ λέπειν, ὅ ἐστι τύπτειν. οἱ δὲ ἀπὸ Λεπρίου πολίσματος τῆς Πελοποννήσου, οὗ μέμνηται καὶ Καλλίμαχος ἐν ὕμνοις “Καυκώνων πτολίεθρον ὃ Λέπριον πεφάτισται”. οἱ δὲ ἐκ λεπρῶν βοῶν. φασὶ γὰρ τὰ τῶν λεπρῶν βοῶν δέρματα ἰσχυρὰ εἶναι. οἱ δὲ ὅτι οἱ Μεγαρεῖς λεπροὶ τὸ σῶμα. πρὸς οὓς σπένδεται. ἄμεινον δὲ λέγειν ὅτι τόπος ἔξω τοῦ ἄστεος Λεπροὶ καλούμενος, ἔνθα τὰ βυρσεῖα ἦν)
Comment
This is the correct etymology by modern standards. The details of the derivation vary according to our sources: the Etym. Parvum records several derivations, from λεπτός (verbal adjective of λέπω, with a change of [t] into [r]), or from λέπος "rind", though a derivative *λεπηρός which the Gudianum derives directly from λέπω. The proper name Λεπροί, in the scholion to the Acharnians, is explained either from λεπρός or referred to another proper name, that of a city named Λεπρίον (which is a circular explanation, not unusual in ancient Greek etymology)