γηθέω
Pronunciation
- 5th-century BC Attic: /ɡɛː.tʰé.ɔː/[1]
- 4th-century AD Koine: /ʝiˈθe.o/[1]
- 10th-century Byzantine: /ʝiˈθe.o/[1]
Forms
γηθέω (gēthéō) [1] Doric γᾱθέω, perfect γέγᾱθα, and Boeotian pluperfect γεγᾱ́θι.[2][3] The perfect γέγηθα, with present meaning, is more frequent than the present; tragedy uses only the perfect.[3][2]
Etymology
It is inherited, but its preform is disputed.[4][5] Because of Latin gaudeō (“to rejoice”), an older form *γαϝεθέω (*gawethéō) was reconstructed, but the contraction this needs would have been very early and would have had to spread to the perfect, and such a present would be an isolated formation in Indo-European.[4][6][1] More recently the verb has been compared with Tocharian A kātk- (“to be glad”) and Tocharian B kātk-, from Proto-Indo-European *geh₂dʰ-sk-, which gives a root *geh₂dʰ- (“to be filled with joy”).[4][7] Chantraine considers that the present may have been rebuilt on the perfect stem.[5]
Beekes finds the same root in γαίω (gaíō) and γάνυμαι (gánumai, “to brighten up, rejoice”).[4] The DGE also relates it to the Latin verb.[8]
Earliest recorded meaning
It is found from the Iliad on, meaning to rejoice or be glad, often with a participle of what one is glad to see.[2][3][9]
Semantic evolution
In Homer and the poets it is to be glad at something, with an accusative or a participle, and Semonides uses it of the sea, which seems to smile.[3] Tragedy uses the perfect γέγηθα as a present, and its participle as an adjective meaning cheerful.[2][3] Doric poets have γαθέω (gathéō), Pindar the aorist γάθησα, Theocritus γαθεῖ.[2] A secondary present γήθω (gḗthō) and a middle γήθομαι appear in late poetry.[2]
Derivatives include γῆθος (gêthos) “joy” and γηθόσυνος (gēthósunos) “joyful”.[1]
Timeline
- Homer – The Iliad uses it for rejoicing.[2][9]
- Before the 6th century BC – Hesiod uses the aorist.[2][9]
- 7th–6th century BC – Semonides uses it of the sea, which looks radiant.[3][8]
- 6th–5th century BC – Pindar uses the Doric aorist γάθησα.[2][8]
- 5th century BC – The tragedians use the perfect γέγηθα in a present sense.[2]
- 4th–3rd century BC – Theocritus uses the Doric present γαθεῖ.[2][8]
- 3rd century AD – Quintus of Smyrna uses the middle γήθομαι.[2][8]
Meanings
Verb
- To rejoice, be glad or happy, at something seen or done.[2][3]
- (of things) To look radiant, smile.[3]
- (perfect participle, as an adjective) Joyful, cheerful.[3]
Word family
- γῆθος (gêthos)
- γηθοσύνη (gēthosúnē)
- γηθόσυνος (gēthósunos)
- ἐπιγηθέω (epigēthéō)
- γηθαλέος (gēthaléos)
Related words
References
- ^ a b c d e f Wiktionary, the free dictionary, https://en.wiktionary.org
- ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m Liddell, Henry George; Scott, Robert; Jones, Henry Stuart (1940), A Greek-English Lexicon, 9th ed., Oxford: Clarendon Press
- ^ a b c d e f g h i Diggle, James, et al., eds. (2021), The Cambridge Greek Lexicon, Cambridge: Cambridge University Press
- ^ a b c d Beekes, Robert S. P. (2010), Etymological Dictionary of Greek, with the assistance of Lucien van Beek, Leiden Indo-European Etymological Dictionary Series 10, Leiden; Boston: Brill
- ^ a b Chantraine, Pierre (2009), Dictionnaire étymologique de la langue grecque: histoire des mots, new ed. with a supplement (Chroniques d'étymologie grecque 1–10), Paris: Klincksieck
- ^ Frisk, Hjalmar (1960–1972), Griechisches etymologisches Wörterbuch, 3 vols, Heidelberg: Carl Winter
- ^ Rix, Helmut, et al. (2001), Lexikon der indogermanischen Verben, 2nd ed., Wiesbaden: Reichert
- ^ a b c d e Rodríguez Adrados, Francisco, et al., eds. (1980–), Diccionario Griego-Español, Madrid: CSIC, http://dge.cchs.csic.es/xdge
- ^ a b c Keersmaekers, Alek (2021–2025), GLAUx: The Greek Language Automated corpus, https://github.com/alekkeersmaekers/glaux