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EtygramEtymologies Grecques Antiques et Médiévales
Ancient and Medieval Greek Etymologies

ὄρθρος

Word

ὄρθρος

Validation

No

Last modification

Thu, 08/05/2021 - 14:03

Word-form

ὄρθρος

Word-lemma

LSJ

Etymon-lemma

LSJ

Transliteration (Word)

orthros

English translation (word)

dawn

Transliteration (Etymon)

ornumi

English translation (etymon)

to stir

Author

Orion

Century

5 AD

Source

Idem

Ref.

Etymologicum, omicron, p. 117

Ed.

F. Sturz, Orionis Thebani etymologicon, Leipzig, Weigel, 1820

Quotation

Ὄρθρος. ὄρω, μέλλων Αἰολικὸς ὄρσω, ὄνομα ὄρτος, καὶ μεταθέσει τοῦ τ εἰς θ, ὄρθρος.

Translation (En)

Orthros ("dawn"): orō ("to stir"), aeolic future orsō, noun *ortos and with metathesis of [t] into [th], orthros.

Comment

Possible contamination between the explanations of orthos and orthros (see Pseudo-Zonaras in Parallels); as a matter of fact, the two words are implicitly linked. The etymon is ὄρνυμι, given in the active voice although the meaning implied to account for ὄρθρος is the middle ὄρνυμαι "to rise": this was the rule in Greek lexicography. However, in some sources the middle form is given. It is a derivational etymology which does not imply formal manipulations. There are two semantic interpretations, linked with the problem of voice: either dawn rises (middle) or causes men to get up (active). This etymology is correct from the modern point of view

Parallels

Choeroboscus, Epimerismi in Psalmos, p. 150 (ὄρθρος. παρὰ τὸ ὀρῶ τὸ ἐγείρω, ἐξ οὗ καὶ ὁ Ἀττικὸς μέλλων ὄρσω); Etym. Gudianum, omicron, p. 433 (Ὄρθρος, παρὰ τὸ ὀρῶ τὸ διεγείρομαι, ἐξ οὗ καὶ Αἰολικῶς ὄρσω, ὄνομα ὀρτὸς, καὶ μεταθέσει τοῦ τ εἰς θ ὄρθος· καὶ ἄλλως, ὀρῶ, ὄρσω, ὄνομα ὀρτὸς καὶ ὀρθὸς, μεταθέσει τοῦ τ εἰς θ); Eustathius, Comm. Il. 2, p. 40 Van der Valk (ταὐτὸν γὰρ τὸ σθένος ὄρσαι καὶ τὸ ἐγεῖραι μᾶλλον, ὅθεν καὶ ὄρθρος λέγεται ὁ ὀρθῶν καὶ ἐγείρων ἡμᾶς.); ibid., vol. 3, p. 134 (Τὸ δὲ «ὤρνυτο» ἐτυμολογία τοῦ τῆς Ἠοῦς ὄρθρου ἐστί, καθ’ὃν εἰς ἔργον ὀρνύμεθα, ἤτοι ὀρθούμεθα); ibid., 4, p. 275 (ἀπὸ δὲ τούτου τοῦ «ἠῶ ὄρνυσθαι» κατὰ τοὺς παλαιοὺς καὶ ὁ ὄρθρος, ἐν ᾧ εἰς ἔργον ὀρνύμεθα); Eustathius, Comm. Od. 2, p. 309 Stallbaum (οὗ θέμα ὄρω, ἐξ οὗ ὁ ὄρθρος); Ps.-Zonaras, Lexicon, omicron, p. 1461 (Ὄρθρος. παρὰ τὸ αἴρειν, καὶ ὀρθίους ἡμᾶς ποιεῖν λεχήρεις ὄντας. Ὀρθός. ἐκ τοῦ ὄρω, ὄρσω, ῥηματικὸν ὄνομα ὀρτὸς καὶ ὀρθός); T Schol. Il. 19, 2a Erbse (ὤρνυτο: ὅθεν καὶ ὄρθρος, ὁ ὀρνὺς ἡμᾶς).