λάμπω

Forms

λᾰ́μπω (lámpō) ^[1]

Etymology

It is inherited from Proto-Indo-European *leh₂p- (“to flash, shine”), with a nasal present, as LIV reconstructs it, though the nasal is difficult to explain.^[2][3][1] Without a nasal the root is seen in Hittite lapp- (“to glow, flash”), and with a long vowel in Baltic words for a torch or flame: Lithuanian lópė, Latvian lāpa and Old Prussian lopis.^[3][4] Old Irish lassaim (“I flame”) and Welsh llachar (“glow”) have a short vowel but a different ending.^[3][4] Beekes doubts that this material proves an Indo-European origin.^[3]

All the Greek derivatives, nouns as well as verbs, are made from the present stem with its nasal: λαμπάς (lampás) “torch”, λαμπρός (lamprós) “bright”, λαμπτήρ (lamptḗr) “lantern”, λάμψις (lámpsis) “shining”.^[3][4]

Earliest recorded meaning

In Homer it is used of things that shed bright light: armour and weapons glitter, the point of a spear flashes, and torches burn.^[5][6]

Semantic evolution

Poets use it of the sun, the moon and the stars, and of fire and lightning;^[7] Sophocles uses it of a paean that rings out clear.^[7][6] Figuratively, fame and virtue shine forth in Pindar, and in Aristophanes a person shines with a beaming face or gains glory.^[6] Euripides uses it transitively, “to make shine”, and the astrologers of a planet in a favourable position.^[6] It was found mainly in poetry and Comedy.^[6]

It was borrowed as Ecclesiastical Latin lampō.^[1] The verb has continued in use without a break into medieval and Modern Greek, Modern Greek λάμπω (lámpo) “to shine”.^[8][9][10]

Timeline

• Homer – The Iliad uses it of shining armour and the flash of a spear.^[5][6]
• 6th–5th century BC – Pindar says that glory shines.^[6][11]
• 5th century BC – Sophocles uses it of a ringing paean.^[6][11]
• 5th century BC – Euripides uses it transitively, “to make shine”.^[6][11]
• 2nd century AD – Ptolemy uses it of a planet's favourable position.^[6]
• Modern Greek – It survives as λάμπω, “to shine”.^[9][10]

Meanings

Verb

1. To shine, give light: of the sun, moon and stars, fire and torches.^[7][6]
2. To gleam or glitter with reflected light, of weapons and armour.^[7][5]
3. Of sound, to ring out loud and clear.^[6]
4. (figurative) To shine forth, be famous or conspicuous; of people, to beam or win glory.^[6]
5. (transitive, poetic) To make shine, light up.^[6]
6. (astrology) Of a planet, to stand in a favourable position.^[6]

Word family

• ἀναλάμπω (analámpō)
• ἀντιλάμπω (antilámpō)
• ἀπολάμπω (apolámpō)
• διαλάμπω (dialámpō)
• ἐκλάμπω (eklámpō)
• ἐλλάμπω (ellámpō)
• ἐπιλάμπω (epilámpō)
• καταλάμπω (katalámpō)
• λαμπάς (lampás)
• λαμπρός (lamprós)
• λαμπτήρ (lamptḗr)
• περιλάμπω (perilámpō)
• προσλάμπω (proslámpō)
• ὑπολάμπω (hupolámpō)

Related words

• λάμπη (lámpē)
• λαμπηδών (lampēdṓn)
• Λάμπος (Lámpos)
• λάμψις (lámpsis)
• English lamp

References

1. ^ a b c d e f Wiktionary, the free dictionary, https://en.wiktionary.org
2. ^ Rix, Helmut, et al. (2001), Lexikon der indogermanischen Verben, 2nd ed., Wiesbaden: Reichert
3. ^ a b c d e 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 c Frisk, Hjalmar (1960–1972), Griechisches etymologisches Wörterbuch, 3 vols, Heidelberg: Carl Winter
5. ^ a b c Cunliffe, Richard John (1924), A Lexicon of the Homeric Dialect, London: Blackie and Son
6. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o Liddell, Henry George; Scott, Robert; Jones, Henry Stuart (1940), A Greek-English Lexicon, 9th ed., Oxford: Clarendon Press
7. ^ a b c d Diggle, James, et al., eds. (2021), The Cambridge Greek Lexicon, Cambridge: Cambridge University Press
8. ^ Kriaras, Emmanuel, Επιτομή του Λεξικού της μεσαιωνικής ελληνικής δημώδους γραμματείας 1100–1669, Κέντρο Ελληνικής Γλώσσας, https://www.greek-language.gr
9. ^ a b Ινστιτούτο Νεοελληνικών Σπουδών (Ίδρυμα Μανόλη Τριανταφυλλίδη) (1998), Λεξικό της κοινής νεοελληνικής, Thessaloniki: Aristotle University of Thessaloniki
10. ^ a b Babiniotis, Georgios (2010), Ετυμολογικό λεξικό της νέας ελληνικής γλώσσας [Etymological Dictionary of Modern Greek], Athens: Κέντρο Λεξικολογίας
11. ^ a b c Rodríguez Adrados, Francisco, et al., eds. (1980–), Diccionario Griego-Español, Madrid: CSIC, http://dge.cchs.csic.es/xdge