θέναρ

Forms

θένᾰρ (thénar) n (genitive θένᾰρος); third declension^[1]

Etymology

It is inherited from Proto-Indo-European *dʰénwr̥ (“flat of the hand, palm”),^[1] an old word for the palm of the hand.^[2]

Cognate with Old High German tenar and its feminine tenra, which are thematic derivatives of the same r-stem,^[2] and Wiktionary compares Sanskrit धन्वन् (dhánvan).^[1] Ancient grammarians derived it from θείνω (theínō, “to strike”): Philoxenus explained it as a noun in -αρ from that verb.^[3]

Earliest recorded meaning

It is found once in Homer: in the Iliad a wound is placed “above the base of the palm”, that is just below the wrist.^[4][5][6]

Semantic evolution

Aristotle defines it as the inside of the hand.^[4] Pindar uses it figuratively for the hollow on top of an altar, where offerings were laid, and for the surface of the sea.^[5][4] The Hippocratic writers, Aratus and Callimachus use it for the sole of the foot.^[4][5] In Galen the plural names the two muscles that border the palm, and in Rufus and Galen it is the ball of the thumb.^[4] The compound ὀπισθέναρ (opisthénar, “back of the hand”) is found in Pollux, and Hesychius records a verb θεναρίζω (thenarízō, “to strike”).^[2]

Timeline

• Homer – The Iliad uses it for the palm of the hand.^[4][5]
• 6th–5th century BC – Pindar uses it of the hollow top of an altar and the surface of the sea.^[5][6][7]
• 5th century BC – The Hippocratic writers use it for the sole of the foot.^[4][6][7]
• 4th century BC – Aristotle defines it as the inside of the hand.^[4][7]
• 2nd century AD – Galen uses the plural for the muscles bordering the palm.^[4][7]

Meanings

Noun

1. The palm of the hand.^[4][5]
2. (anatomy, plural) The two muscles that form the borders of the palm.^[4]
3. (anatomy) The ball of the thumb.^[4]
4. The sole of the foot.^[4][5]
5. (figurative) A hollow surface: the top of an altar, where offerings are laid; the surface of the sea.^[5][4]

Word family

• ὀπισθέναρ (opisthénar)

References

1. ^ a b c d e f Wiktionary, the free dictionary, https://en.wiktionary.org
2. ^ 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
3. ^ Etygram: ancient etymologies of Greek words, CEPAM, Université Côte d'Azur, http://appsweb-cepam.unice.fr/etygram
4. ^ 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
5. ^ a b c d e f g h Diggle, James, et al., eds. (2021), The Cambridge Greek Lexicon, Cambridge: Cambridge University Press
6. ^ a b c Keersmaekers, Alek (2021–2025), GLAUx: The Greek Language Automated corpus, https://github.com/alekkeersmaekers/glaux
7. ^ a b c d Rodríguez Adrados, Francisco, et al., eds. (1980–), Diccionario Griego-Español, Madrid: CSIC, http://dge.cchs.csic.es/xdge