Βάκχος + τηρέω
Word
Validation
Yes
Word-form
βακτηρία
Word-lemma
Transliteration (Word)
baktēria
English translation (word)
stick, staff
Transliteration (Etymon)
Bakkhos + tēreō
English translation (etymon)
Bacchus + to ward
Century
12 AD
Source
Idem
Ref.
Scholia in Aristophanem (scholia recentiora), Commentarium in Plutum 272b
Ed.
L. Massa Positano, Jo. Tzetzae commentarii in Aristophanem [Scholia in Aristophanem 4.1. Groningen: Bouma, 1960]
Quotation
ἐτυμολογεῖται δὲ βακτηρία παρὰ τὸ τὴν βάσιν τηρεῖν. βακτηρία δὲ καὶ ὁ χάραξ, ἀπὸ τοῦ τηρεῖν τὸν Βάκχον ἤτοι τὴν ἄμπελον
Translation (En)
Baktēria "staff" is etymologized from "to ward" (tēreîn) the walk (basin). But baktēria also means "pole", from the fact that it wards (tēreîn) Bacchus, that is, the grape.
Parallels
There is no parallel
Modern etymology
Cognate with Lat. baculum "staff", Old Irish bacc "hook" (Beekes, EDG)
Persistence in Modern Greek
MG still has βακτηρία "staff" (and βακτήριον "bacteria")
Entry By
Le Feuvre
Comment
Variation on the etymology formulated first, βάσις + τηρέω, applied to a specific meaning of βακτηρία referring to the stakes used to grow vine. Bacchus is used metaphorically as a name of wine, itself the product of vine (ἄμπελος). As often, only the first syllable of the first element is kept, while the following syllable is assumed to be dropped in the compound.