λιμήν

Validation

No

Word-form

λίμνη

Transliteration (Word)

limnē

English translation (word)

pool of standing water

Transliteration (Etymon)

limēn

English translation (etymon)

harbour

Author

Epimerismi homerici

Century

9 AD

Source

Idem

Ref.

Epimerismi homerici ordine alphabetico traditi, lambda 34

Ed.

A.R. Dyck, Epimerismi Homerici: Pars altera. Lexicon αἱμωδεῖν [Sammlung griechischer und lateinischer Grammatiker (SGLG) 5.2] Berlin - New York: De Gruyter, 1995: 59-761

Quotation

ὡς γὰρ παρὰ τὸ πατήρ πάτρη, μήτηρ μήτρη, ποιμήν ποίμνη, οὕτως λιμήν λίμνη. οἱ δὲ παρὰ τὸ λίαν μένειν

Translation (En)

As from patēr comes patrē, from mētēr mētrē, from poimēn poimnē, so from limēn "harbour" comes limnē "pool of standing water". But for others, it comes from "to stay" (menein) very much (lian)

Comment

The word is correctly analyzed as a derivative of λιμήν "harbor". This derivational explanation is found only here. An alternative etymology is provided, which in fine amounts to the same, since λιμήν was also etymologized as a compound λίαν + μένω.

Modern etymology

Λίμνη is a derivative of λιμήν "harbour"

Persistence in Modern Greek

The word is used in Modern Greek to designate 1. 'the lake' and 2. any accumulated liquid, e.g., "λίμνη αίματος".

Entry By

Le Feuvre