φεύγω + δίδωμι

Validation

Yes

Last modification

Thu, 08/05/2021 - 14:03

Word-form

φείδομαι

Transliteration (Word)

pheidomai

English translation (word)

to spare

Transliteration (Etymon)

pheugō + didōmi

English translation (etymon)

to flee + to give

Author

Herodian

Century

2 AD

Reference

Peri orthographias, Lentz III/2, p. 598

Edition

A. Lentz, Grammatici Graeci, vol. 3.2, Leipzig, Teubner, 1870

Source

Choeroboscus

Ref.

De orthographia (epitome) p. 273

Ed.

J.A Cramer, Anecdota Graeca e codd. manuscriptis bibliothecarum Oxoniensium, vol. 3, Oxford: 1836

Quotation

φείδομαι: ει δίφθογγος· παρὰ γὰρ τὸ φεύγειν τὸ δοῦναι γέγονε φεύδομαι καὶ κατὰ τροπὴν τοῦ υ εἰς ι φείδομαι.

Translation (En)

Pheidomai "to spare"; diphthong [ei]. From "to flee" (pheugein) "the giving" (dounai) comes *pheudomai, and by change of the [u] into [I], pheidomai.

Comment

Compositional etymology relying on the negative connotation of φείδομαι, here understood as "to be tight-fisted", that is, not generous, the process being seen through its effect on others. The etymology implies two changes: the change of the vowel explicitly mentioned by Choeroboscus, and also the dropping of the consonant [g] in φεύγω.

Parallels

Etym. Gudianum, phi, p. 549 (Φείδομαι, διὰ τῆς ει διφθόγγου· παρὰ γὰρ τὸ φεύγειν καὶ τὸ δοῦναι, γίνεται φεύδομαι καὶ τροπῇ τοῦ υ εἰς ι φείδομαι); ibid., p. 550 (Φειδίας, φείδομαι, διὰ τῆς ει διφθόγγου, παρὰ γὰρ τὸ φεύγειν καὶ τὸ δοῦναι γέγονε φεύδομαι καὶ τροπῇ τοῦ υ εἰς ι φείδομαι); Etym. Magnum, Kallierges, p. 791 (Φείδομαι: Παρὰ τὸ φεύγειν τὸ δοῦναι· ἢ παρὰ τὸ φεύγομαι, φεύδομαι· καὶ τροπῇ τοῦ υ εἰς ι, φείδομαι); Ps.-Zonaras, Lexicon, phi, p. 1803 (Φείδομαι. παρὰ τὸ φεύγειν τὸ δοῦναι. ἢ παρὰ τὸ φεύδω, καὶ μόνον φεύδομαι καὶ τροπῇ τοῦ υ εἰς ι φείδομαι)

Modern etymology

Isolated within Greek. Probably from PIE *bheid- "to split", of Lat. findō, Ved. bhinádmi (Beekes, EDG)

Persistence in Modern Greek

Yes, as a learned word

Entry By

Le Feuvre