σπειράομαι
Word
Validation
No
Word-form
σπέρμα
Word-lemma
Etymon-lemma
Transliteration (Word)
sperma
English translation (word)
seed
Transliteration (Etymon)
speiraomai
English translation (etymon)
to coil up
Century
3 BC
Reference
fr. 744
Edition
J. von Arnim, Stoicorum veterum fragmenta, vol. 3, Leipzig, 1903
Source
Plutarchus
Ref.
De communibus notitiis adversus Stoicos 1077b
Ed.
G.N. Bernardakis, Plutarch. Moralia. Leipzig, Teubner, 1889 (2)
Translation (En)
Parallels
There is no parallel
Modern etymology
Derivative of σπείρω "to sow", belonging with σπόρος, σπαρτός and many others. The root has a cognate in Hitt. išpāri- "to strew" (Beekes, EDG)
Persistence in Modern Greek
MG still has σπέρμα meaning 1 "seed", 2 "sperm", 3 (metaphorically) "offspring"
Entry By
Le Feuvre
Comment
Paronymic etymology reflecting on the nature of the seed which concentrates into a small body the potential of the whole being. The generally spherical shape of the seed led to the idea of coiling up of the whole being into a small ball