ἀ- + ζάω

Validation

Yes

Last modification

Fri, 06/04/2021 - 14:39

Word-form

ἄζω

Transliteration (Word)

azō

English translation (word)

to dry up, to parch

Transliteration (Etymon)

a- + zaō

English translation (etymon)

not + to live

Author

Herodian?

Century

2 AD

Reference

De Prosodia catholica, Lentz III/1, p. 468

Edition

A. Lentz, Grammatici graeci III/1, Leipzig, Teubner 1867

Source

Arcadius

Ref.

De prosodia catholica epitome

Ed.

S. Roussou, Pseudo-Arcadius' Epitome of Herodian's De Prosodia Catholica, Oxford: Oxford University Press, 2018

Quotation

(Lentz) πρόσκειται «μετὰ προθέσεως» διὰ τὸ ἄζω τὸ ξηραίνω. τοῦτο γὰρ ἀπὸ τοῦ α στερητικοῦ μορίου καὶ τοῦ ζῶ

Translation (En)

It is added "through prothesis" because of azō "to dry up". As a matter of fact, this words comes from the privative prefix a- and the verb  "to live"

Comment

Example of the privative prefix used to etymologize a verb. The etymology, which does not imply any formal manipulation, relies on the conception that life is characterized by a flow of liquid (water, sap, blood) and that a dry vegetal or a dry corpse is dead. Therefore to "dry up" is to "deprive of life", the verb being etymologized through the consequence of the process. The other etymology mentioned in other sources relating the word to ἅγιος refer to ἅζομαι, not to ἄζω (see ἅζομαι / ἅγιος)

Parallels

D Schol. Il. 4.487 (Ἀζομένη. Ξηραινομένη. Ψιλῶς ἀναγνωστέον· ἐσχημάτισται γὰρ παρὰ τὴν στέρησιν τοῦ ζῆν); Orion, Etymologicum, alpha, p. 27 (Ἄζω, τὸ ξηραίνω κατὰ στέρησιν τοῦ ζῆν. τὸ γὰρ ζῶν καὶ ὑγρόν ἐστι); Etym. Gudianum, alpha, p. 29 (idem); Choeroboscus, Epimerismi in Psalmos, p. 83-84 (Τὸ ἄζω πόσα σημαίνει; Δύο, τὸ σέβομαι, ὅπερ καὶ δασύνεται, ἀπὸ γὰρ τοῦ χάζω τὸ ὑποχωρῶ γέγονε· ὃν γὰρ σεβόμεθα, τοῦτον καὶ ὑποχωροῦμεν. Ἀναχωρήσαντος οὖν τοῦ Χ, ἔμεινεν ἡ ἀναλογοῦσα τῷ Χ δασεῖ. Σημαίνει δὲ καὶ τὸ ξηραίνω, ὅπερ καὶ ψιλοῦται· ἀπὸ γὰρ τοῦ ζῶ γέγονε, καὶ μετὰ τοῦ στερητικοῦ Α ἄζω, οἱονεὶ οὔζω, τὰ γὰρ ξηρὰ οὐ ζῆ, ἢ παρὰ τὸ ἅγος ἅγιος); Etym. Genuinum, alpha 119 (Ἄζη (χ 184?)· ἡ ξηρασία, ὅτι τοῦ ζῆν καὶ … ρηται); ibid., alpha 120 (Ἀζαλέην (Η 239)· ξηρὰν ἢ σκληράν· παρὰ τὸ ἄζω, τὸ ξηραίνω. ἔστι ζῶ καὶ κατὰ στέρησιν τοῦ α ἄζω· τὸ γὰρ [ζῶν καὶ] ὑγρόν ἐστιν. οὕτως <Ὡρίων> [corr. after EM]); Eustathius, Comm. Il. 1, 45 Van der Valk (Ὅτι ἄζω μὲν τὸ ξηραίνω ψιλοῦται παρὰ τὸ α στερητικὸν καὶ τὸ ζῆν· οὐ ζῶσι γὰρ τὰ ξηρά); Etym. Magnum, Kallierges, p. 22 (Ἅζω: Σημαίνει δύο· τὸ σέβομαι· ὅπερ ἀπὸ τοῦ χάζω τὸ ὑποχωρῶ γίνεται· ὃν γὰρ σεβόμεθα, τοῦτον καὶ ὑποχωροῦμεν. Δασύνεται· ἀναχωρήσαντος οὖν τοῦ χ, ἔμεινεν ἀναλογοῦσα τῷ χ ἡ δασεῖα. Καὶ τὸ ξηραίνω, ὅπερ ψιλοῦται· ἀπὸ τοῦ ζῶ, κατὰ στέρησιν ἄζω· τὰ γὰρ ξηρὰ οὐ ζῇ, τὸ δὲ ζῶν καὶ ὑγρόν ἐστιν. Οὕτως Ὠρίων).

Modern etymology

PIE root *h2ed- "dry". Derived from ἄζω are ἀζαλέος "dry", ἄζα "drought" (Beekes, EDG)

Persistence in Modern Greek

No, except in the plant name αζαλέα "azalea", from ἀζαλέος "dry", because the plant grows in a dry soil

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