Ἀλέξανδρος

Ancient Greek edit

Etymology edit

From ἀλέξω (aléxō, to repel) + the stem ἀνδρ- (andr-) of ἀνήρ (anḗr, man) +‎ -ος (-os), thus “the man who repels [enemies]”. The Hittite 𒀀𒆷𒀝𒊭𒀭𒁺𒍑 (/⁠Alaksānduš⁠/, Alaksandu) (attested in the 13th century BCE) seems to have been borrowed from an equivalent name in an ancestor language of Ancient Greek or some related dialect, perhaps Mycenaean Greek. A Linear B name, Mycenaean Greek 𐀀𐀩𐀏𐀭𐀅𐀨 (a-re-ka-sa-da-ra), seemingly corresponding to the feminine form Ancient Greek Ἀλεξάνδρα (Alexándra), is the earliest attested form of the name.

Pronunciation edit

 

Proper noun edit

Ᾰ̓λέξᾰνδρος (Aléxandrosm (genitive Ᾰ̓λεξᾰ́νδρου); second declension

  1. A title held by Hera and Paris, among others.
  2. a male given name, equivalent to English Alexander, most famously held by Alexander the Great
    • 46 CE – 120 CE, Plutarch, Alexander the Great 14:
      καὶ μικρὸν μὲν ἀνεκάθισεν, ἀνθρώπων τοσούτων ἐπερχομένων, καὶ διέβλεψεν εἰς τὸν Ἀλέξανδρον. ὡς δὲ ἐκεῖνος ἀσπασάμενος καὶ προσειπὼν αὐτὸν ἠρώτησεν εἴ τινος τυγχάνει δεόμενος, “Μικρόν,” εἶπεν, “ἀπὸ τοῦ ἡλίου μετάστηθι.”
      kaì mikròn mèn anekáthisen, anthrṓpōn tosoútōn eperkhoménōn, kaì diéblepsen eis tòn Aléxandron. hōs dè ekeînos aspasámenos kaì proseipṑn autòn ērṓtēsen eí tinos tunkhánei deómenos, “Mikrón,” eîpen, “apò toû hēlíou metástēthi.”
      Diogenes raised himself up a little when he saw so many persons coming towards him, and fixed his eyes upon Alexander. And when that monarch addressed him with greetings, and asked if by chance he wanted anything, “Yes,” said Diogenes, “stand a little out of my sun.”

Inflection edit

Derived terms edit

Descendants edit

Further reading edit