Ancient Greek edit

Etymology edit

Uncertain.

Traditionally explained as either formed from a nominal construction parallel to μακρός (makrós), μῆκος (mêkos) + suffix -δόν- (-dón-) which is typical for appellations, animal names and nomina actionis[1] and may be zero vocalism of -δόνος (-dónos), -δών- (-dṓn-).[2] It can also be perceived as an arrangement of μηκεδανός (mēkedanós, long), in its turn derivation of μῆκος (mêkos).[2] Hesychius records μακεδνή (fem) as 'long, tall'.[3]

Beekes suggests a Pre-Greek non-Indo-European origin,[4] however, de Decker and Nikolaev both reject the argument.[5]

Pronunciation edit

 

Adjective edit

μᾰκεδνός (makednósm (feminine μᾰκεδνή, neuter μᾰκεδνόν); first/second declension

  1. tall, taper
    • 8th century BC, Ὅμηρος, Ὀδύσσεια, 7.106
      αἱ δ' ἱστοὺς ὑφόωσι καὶ ἠλάκατα στρωφῶσιν ἥμεναι, οἱά τε φύλλα μακεδνῆς αἰγείροιο·
      hai d' histoùs huphóōsi kaì ēlákata strōphôsin hḗmenai, hoiá te phúlla makednês aigeíroio;
      and they sat, looking down on looms and turning wool; moving like leaves of a tall poplar.

Inflection edit

Related terms edit

References edit

  1. ^ Frisk, Hjalmar (1970) “μακεδνός”, in Griechisches etymologisches Wörterbuch (in German), volume II, Heidelberg: Carl Winter, page 163:μακε-δν-ός (...) ein suffixales -δόν- ist in Tiernamen, sonstigen Appellativen, sowie in Nom. actionis u. a. zu Hause. Als Grundlage dürfte eine mit μακ-ρός, μῆ-κος parallel gehende nominale Bildung gedient haben.
  2. 2.0 2.1 Chantraine, Pierre (1968–1980) “μακεδνός”, in Dictionnaire étymologique de la langue grecque (in French), Paris: Klincksieck, pages 659–660:-δν-o peut représenter un vocalisme zéro d’un suffix -δών-, -δόνος... Dérivés tardifs et rares: μηκεδανός « long » (AP, Nonnus), arrangement de μακεδνός.
  3. ^ Hesychius of Alexandria, Glossae
  4. ^ Beekes, Robert S. P. (2010) Etymological Dictionary of Greek (Leiden Indo-European Etymological Dictionary Series; 10), with the assistance of Lucien van Beek, Leiden, Boston: Brill, →ISBN
  5. ^ http://www.ejournals.eu/Studia-Linguistica/2016/Issue%202/art/7742/

Further reading edit