ποτός + ἄμμος
Word
Validation
Yes
Word-form
ποταμός
Word-lemma
Transliteration (Word)
potamos
English translation (word)
river
Transliteration (Etymon)
potos + ammos
English translation (etymon)
drinkble + sand
Century
5 AD
Source
Idem
Ref.
Etymologicum (excerpta e cod. regio 2610), p. 182
Ed.
G.H.K. Koës, Orionis Thebani etymologicon (ed. F.G. Sturz), Leipzig: Weigel, 1820 (repr. Hildesheim: Olms, 1973): 173-184
Quotation
Ποταμός· ὁ ἔχον (sic) ποτὸν καὶ ἄμμον
Translation (En)
Potamos "river": the one having "drinkable water" (poton) and "sand" (ammon)
Parallels
Orion, Etymologicum (excerpta e cod. Vat. gr. 1456) (ὁ ἔχων ποτὸν καὶ ἄμμον); Etym. Gudianum, pi, p. 477 (Ποταμὸς, ὁ ἔχων ποτὸν καὶ ἄμμον· ἢ διὰ τὸ ποτάριον· ἢ παρὰ τὸ ποτιμὸν ὕδωρ ἔχειν· ἢ ὁ ἔχων ποτιμὸν ἐνεργείαν)
Modern etymology
Probably derived from the root found in πέτομαι "to fly, to rush", referring to the quick motion of water (Beekes, EDG, who, however, concludes the etymology is uncertain)
Persistence in Modern Greek
Ποταμός is used with ποτάμι (neut.) in MG as 1. 'river' and 'massive flow'. Ποταμός, diminutive ποτάμιον, ποτάμι were used in Med. Greek (Em. Kriaras Dict. of Mediev. Vernacular Greek, vol. 17, s.v.). In MG there also are many derivatives and compounds.
Entry By
Le Feuvre
Comment
Counterpart of the etymology by ποτός (see ποταμός / ποτός) parsing the word not as a derivative, as the latter, but as a compound, which provides a motivation for the end of the word. The second element is identified as ἄμμος "sand", implying a stage where the geminate consonant was no longer pronounced