μινύθω

Forms

μῐνύθω (minúthō) ^[1]

• Only the present in poetry, with the epic iterative imperfect μινύθεσκον (minútheskon); the Hippocratic writers have a future, aorist and perfect.^[2][3]

Etymology

It is inherited from Proto-Indo-European *meyH- (“to become small, diminish”), in an unusual formation.^[1][4] The LIV assigns it to the nasal-infix present Proto-Indo-European *mi-né-H-, the same formation as Sanskrit मीनाति (mīnā́ti, “to lessen, damage”) and Latin minuō (“to lessen”).^[4][1]

Beekes sees it as modelled on its synonym φθινύθω (phthinúthō) “to waste away”: it was made either from a present in -νυ- matching the Latin verb, or from an adjective meaning “small”, as βαρύθω (barúthō) goes with βαρύς (barús).^[3][1] That adjective has been found in the late compound μινυώριος (minuṓrios) “short-lived” and in the adverb μίνυνθα (mínuntha) “for a short while”, whose ending -θα is taken from its opposite δηθά (dēthá).^[3][5] Chantraine doubted the adjective and explained the verb as a nasal present in -νυ- with the suffix -θω.^[5][6] It is related to μείων (meíōn) “less”.^[2][3]

Earliest recorded meaning

In Homer it is used transitively, of Zeus who increases and diminishes the valour of men, and of suitors who make the pigs fewer by eating them; and intransitively, of the works of men that come to ruin and of a heart that pines away.^[7][8]

Semantic evolution

Hesiod uses it of households that dwindle for want of heirs, and Theognis of a heart that grows weak.^[7][2] The tragedians use it only in lyric passages.^[7] Sophocles has it of springs that fail.^[7][2] The Hippocratic writers use it of flesh that shrinks and wastes, and the medical terms μινύθησις (minúthēsis) “waning” and μινύθημα (minúthēma) come from them.^[7][3] Theocritus says the summer nights grow short.^[7][2] The verb was always rare: GLAUx counts 86 occurrences in 29 texts.^[9]

Timeline

• Homer – The Iliad and the Odyssey use it transitively and intransitively.^[7][8]
• Before the 6th century BC – Hesiod uses it of dwindling households.^[7][10]
• 6th century BC – Theognis uses it of the heart.^[7][10]
• 5th century BC – Bacchylides uses it of the light of excellence, which does not fade with the body.^[7][2][10]
• 5th century BC – The Hippocratic writers use it of flesh that wastes.^[7][10]
• 4th–3rd century BC – Theocritus uses it of summer nights that grow short.^[7][2][10]

Meanings

Verb

1. To lessen, diminish, weaken people, strength or valour.^[7][2][8]
2. To make fewer, deplete.^[7][2]
3. (intransitive) To grow less, dwindle, decline, come to ruin.^[7][2]
4. (intransitive) Of the heart, to pine away; of flesh, to waste.^[7][2]
5. (intransitive) Of springs, to fail; of nights, to grow short.^[2]

Word family

• μίνυνθα (mínuntha)
• μινυνθάδιος (minunthádios)
• μινύθησις (minúthēsis)

Related words

• μείων (meíōn)
• φθινύθω (phthinúthō)
• Latin minuō

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 Diggle, James, et al., eds. (2021), The Cambridge Greek Lexicon, Cambridge: Cambridge University Press
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 Rix, Helmut, et al. (2001), Lexikon der indogermanischen Verben, 2nd ed., Wiesbaden: Reichert
5. ^ 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
6. ^ Πάπυρος–Larousse–Britannica, Μέγα Λεξικό της Ελληνικής Γλώσσας, Athens: Πάπυρος
7. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p Liddell, Henry George; Scott, Robert; Jones, Henry Stuart (1940), A Greek-English Lexicon, 9th ed., Oxford: Clarendon Press
8. ^ a b c Cunliffe, Richard John (1924), A Lexicon of the Homeric Dialect, London: Blackie and Son
9. ^ Keersmaekers, Alek (2021–2025), GLAUx: The Greek Language Automated corpus, https://github.com/alekkeersmaekers/glaux
10. ^ a b c d e Rodríguez Adrados, Francisco, et al., eds. (1980–), Diccionario Griego-Español, Madrid: CSIC, http://dge.cchs.csic.es/xdge