λείπω

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Yes

Last modification

Fri, 07/23/2021 - 10:38

Word-form

λεπτός

Transliteration (Word)

leptos

English translation (word)

peeled, thin, lean

Transliteration (Etymon)

leipō

English translation (etymon)

to leave

Author

Etym. Genuinum

Century

9 AD

Source

Idem

Ref.

Etym. Genuinum, lambda 66

Ed.

K. Alpers, Bericht über Stand und Methode der Ausgabe des Etymologicum genuinum [Danske Videnskabernes Selskab, Hist.-filol. Meddelelser 44.3. Copenhagen: Munksgaard, 1969]: 29-53

Quotation

Λεπτός· παρὰ τὸ λείπω λεπτός· ὁ λείπων καὶ ὁ ἐνδέων. ἢ λέπω λεπτὸς ὁ ἐξελεπισμένος. ⸤ἢ παρὰ τὸ λέπος· τοῦτο παρὰ τὸ λέπω τὸ λεπίζω, ὁ μέλλων λέψω, ὁ παθητικὸς παρακείμενος λέλεμμαι λέλεψαι λέλεπται λεπτός.⸥

Translation (En)

Leptos "peeled, thin": from leipō "to leave", leptos, that which is left (leipōn) and lacking (endeōn). Or from lepō "to peel", leptos "the peeled one". Or from lepos "rind": the latter comes from lepō "to peel", the future is lepsō, the passive perfect lelemmai, lelepsai, leleptai, <whence> leptos

Comment

This etymology, based on meaning rather than form, relies on the passive meaning of λείπω "to leave", as it refers to what is "left" (peeled off), but as usual the etymon is given conventionally under the active form. Conventionally also, as the lemma is the masculine nominative, the gloss is given in the masculine nominative ὁ λείπων, although semantically we would expect a neuter. The alternative derivation from λέπω, on the other hand, starts explicitly from the passive verb. The etymology by λείπω implies a formal manipulation (change of [ei], pronounced [i] in Byzantine Greek, into [e]).

Parallels

Etym. Magnum, Kallierges p. 560 (idem)

Modern etymology

Λεπτός is the verbal adjective of λέπω "to peel". See λεπρός for the modern etymology

Persistence in Modern Greek

Λεπτός is used in Modern Greek to designate: 1. "thin", 2. "consisting of thin pieces", 3. "pleasantly subtle", 4. "not dense", 5. (metaph.) "not perceivded" and many more. Λεπτό is the "minute", and in the plural/λεφτά means "money".

Entry By

Le Feuvre