Ancient Greek

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Etymology

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From Proto-Hellenic *aitʰiyokʷs, explained since antiquity as αἴθω (aíthō, I burn) +‎ ὤψ (ṓps, face), though this is a folk etymology.[1]

Beekes argues that the first assumed root always has senses related to brightness and never to darkness, that the -ί- as well as -ο- instead of -ώ- are unexplained (the explanation actually is something), and that -οπ- (-οψ) is a typical Pre-Greek substrate suffix observed in ethnonyms like Δόλοψ (Dólops) and Δρύοψ (Drúops). The suffix is shaped differently in Mycenaean Greek 𐁁𐀴𐀍𐀦 (ai-ti-jo-qo).[1][2]

A connection to this colour however brings closer the native Ethiopian Semitic ዕጣን (ʿəṭan, incense) to explain the unsuffixed etymon. Frankincense had the primary characteristic of being white, so also the source of λίβανος (líbanos, incense) is a Semitic root related to whiteness. The word might ultimately refer to the incense trade passing from Abyssinia. The folk of Ethiopia was so noted for earning its living by olibanum commerce that the Arabs even derived a term حَبَشَ (ḥabaša, to earn, to obtain for the household) from their other ethnonym اَلْحَبَشَة (al-ḥabaša).

Pronunciation

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Noun

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Αἰθίοψ (Aithíopsm (genitive Αἰθίοπος); third declension

  1. Ethiopian

Inflection

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Derived terms

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Descendants

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  • Greek: Αιθίοψ (Aithíops), Αιθίοπας (Aithíopas)
  • Latin: Aethiops

References

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  1. 1.0 1.1 Beekes, R. S. P. (1995) “Aithiopes”, in Glotta[1], volume 73, number 1/4, pages 12–34
  2. ^ Beekes, R. S. P. (1969) The Development of the Proto-Indo-European Laryngeals in Greek, Paris: Mouton, page 194

Further reading

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