γνώμη

Forms

γνώμη (gnṓmē) f (genitive γνώμης); first declension^[1] Doric and Aeolic γνώμα.^[2][1]

Etymology

It is formed from Ancient Greek γιγνώσκω (gignṓskō, “to know”) + -μη (-mē).^[1][3] γιγνώσκω is from Proto-Indo-European *ǵneh₃- (“to recognize, get to know”).^[3][4] Cognate with Latin nōscō (“to get to know”), Latin nōtus (“known”) and Old Church Slavonic знати (znati, “to know”).^[3]

Earliest recorded meaning

Theognis, in the 6th century BC, uses the plural for marks or signs by which good and bad are known.^[5][2][4]

Semantic evolution

From “means of knowing” it came to mean the mind as the faculty of judgement, intelligence; the result of thinking, an opinion; an opinion expressed, a judgement or advice; and the will, intention or purpose.^[5][2] In Athenian politics it is a motion or proposal, and in the dicasts' oath judges swear to decide “by their best judgement” where no law applies.^[2][5] Sophocles, Xenophon and Aristotle use it for a pointed saying, a maxim.^[2][5] Aristotle also uses it for the mark of age on a horse's teeth.^[5]

In the New Testament it means purpose or mind-set, opinion, and consent or approval.^[6] Medieval vernacular Greek used it for opinion, will and consent.^[7] Modern Greek γνώμη (gnómi) means “opinion”.^[8] Wiktionary lists Latin grōma (“surveyor's cross-staff”) as a borrowing from it.^[1]

Timeline

• 6th century BC – Theognis uses it for marks or signs.^[5][2][9]
• 6th–5th century BC – Pindar uses it for mind, judgement and will.^[5][2][9]
• 5th century BC – Herodotus uses it for an opinion, a judgement and a proposal.^[5][2][9]
• 5th century BC – Sophocles uses it for a maxim.^[2][9]
• 1st century AD – Paul uses it of unity of mind and of an opinion given.^[6]
• Modern Greek – γνώμη (gnómi) means “opinion”.^[8]

Meanings

Noun

1. A means of knowing: a mark, token.^[5][2]
2. The mind, intelligence, judgement, understanding.^[5][2]
3. An opinion, belief; an opinion expressed, advice, a verdict.^[5][2][6]
4. Will, intention, purpose; a plan.^[5][2][6]
5. (politics) A motion, proposal.^[2][5]
6. The general sense or purpose of something.^[2]
7. A maxim, aphorism.^[2][5]
8. (New Testament) Consent, approval.^[6]

Word family

• διαγνώμη (diagnṓmē)
• συγγνώμη (sungnṓmē)
• γνωμικός (gnōmikós)

Related words

• ἀνάγνωμα (anágnōma)
• ἀνάγνωσις (anágnōsis)
• ἀπόγνωσις (apógnōsis)
• γνῶμα (gnôma)
• γνῶσις (gnôsis)
• διάγνωσις (diágnōsis)
• ἐπίγνωσις (epígnōsis)
• κατάγνωσις (katágnōsis)
• μετάγνωσις (metágnōsis)
• παρανάγνωσις (paranágnōsis)
• γνώμων (gnṓmōn)
• Latin grōma

References

1. ^ a b c d e f g Wiktionary, the free dictionary, https://en.wiktionary.org
2. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p Diggle, James, et al., eds. (2021), The Cambridge Greek Lexicon, Cambridge: Cambridge University Press
3. ^ a b c 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
4. ^ a b Babiniotis, Georgios (2010), Ετυμολογικό λεξικό της νέας ελληνικής γλώσσας [Etymological Dictionary of Modern Greek], Athens: Κέντρο Λεξικολογίας
5. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n Liddell, Henry George; Scott, Robert; Jones, Henry Stuart (1940), A Greek-English Lexicon, 9th ed., Oxford: Clarendon Press
6. ^ a b c d e Bauer, Walter; Danker, Frederick W., et al. (2000), A Greek-English Lexicon of the New Testament and Other Early Christian Literature, 3rd ed., Chicago: University of Chicago Press
7. ^ Kriaras, Emmanuel, Επιτομή του Λεξικού της μεσαιωνικής ελληνικής δημώδους γραμματείας 1100–1669, Κέντρο Ελληνικής Γλώσσας, https://www.greek-language.gr
8. ^ a b Ινστιτούτο Νεοελληνικών Σπουδών (Ίδρυμα Μανόλη Τριανταφυλλίδη) (1998), Λεξικό της κοινής νεοελληνικής, Thessaloniki: Aristotle University of Thessaloniki
9. ^ a b c d Rodríguez Adrados, Francisco, et al., eds. (1980–), Diccionario Griego-Español, Madrid: CSIC, http://dge.cchs.csic.es/xdge