ἀγορά

Validation

Yes

Last modification

Fri, 06/04/2021 - 14:24

Word-form

ἀγρός

Transliteration (Word)

agros

English translation (word)

field

Transliteration (Etymon)

agora

English translation (etymon)

assembly, square, market place

Author

Etym. Gudianum

Century

11 AD

Source

Idem

Ref.

Etym. Gudianum, alpha, p. 17

Ed.

E.L. de Stefani, Etymologicum Gudianum, fasc. 1 & 2, Leipzig: Teubner, 1:1909; 2:1920

Quotation

⸤Ἀγριωπός· ἀγριόφθαλμος·⸥ παρὰ τὸ ἄγριος καὶ τὸ ὤψ ὠπός, ὃ σημαίνει τὸν ὀφθαλμὸν καὶ τὸ π⸤ρόσωπον. τὸ δὲ ἄγριος παρὰ τὸ ἀγρός. τὸ δὲ ἀγρός παρὰ τὸ⸥ ἀήρ ἀέρος, καὶ ἐν συγκοπῇ καὶ πλεονασμῷ τοῦ γ ἀγρός, ὁ εὔωρος· ἢ π⸤αρὰ τὸ ἀρῶ, τὸ ἀροτριῶ, ἀρός καὶ ἀγρός· <ἢ> παρὰ τὸ ἀγορά ἄγορος καὶ ἀγρός⸥.  

Translation (En)

Agriōpos "with a cruel face": from agrios "wild" and ōps, ōpos which means "eye" and "face". And agrios comes from agros. And agros "field" comes from aēr, aeros "air", and with syncope and addition of [g], agros, the ripe one (euōros); or from arô, "to plough" (arotriô), *aros and agros; or from agora "market place", agoros and agros

Comment

This etymology starts from the meaning "market-place" of ἀγορά, probably because the peasants were selling there the products of their fields. A syncope of the [o] is then assumed, which remains implicit

Parallels

There is no parallel

Modern etymology

Old name of the field inherited from PIE *h2ég-ro-, cognate with Lat. ager, Ved. ájra-, Got. . It is derived from the root of ἄγω "to lead" (Beekes, EDG)

Persistence in Modern Greek

Αγρός is still used in MG designating the land/property and also in plural denoting the specific area. The phrase "αγρόν αγοράζω", meaning 'to be indifferent'. "Αγρο-" is a very frequent first compound in many MG words, such as "αγροτεμάχιο".

Entry By

Le Feuvre