παράδειγμα

Forms

πᾰρᾰ́δειγμᾰ (parádeigma) n (genitive πᾰρᾰδείγμᾰτος); third declension^[1]

Etymology

It is from Ancient Greek παραδείκνυμι (paradeíknūmi, “to show side by side, compare”) with the suffix -μα (-ma), which forms nouns of result.^[1][2] The verb is made of παρά (pará, “beside”) and δείκνυμι (deíknūmi, “to show”), as δεῖγμα (deîgma, “sample”) is from the simple verb.^[3][4]

It was borrowed into Latin as paradigma.^[5]

Earliest recorded meaning

The word appears in the 5th century BC.^[3][6] Herodotus uses it of an architect's model (or perhaps plan) of a temple and of wooden models of embalmed corpses shown by Egyptian embalmers, and Sophocles, Thucydides and Euripides have it as an example or lesson.^[7][2]

Semantic evolution

Its first sense was a model or pattern from which something is made: a builder's or sculptor's model, and in Plato the heavenly pattern after which earthly things are made, which Aristotle uses of the Platonic Forms.^[7][2] From this came the much commoner senses of an example to be followed, a precedent, a sample, and a warning drawn from the past; the orators use it constantly for exemplary punishment.^[7][2] In argument it meant an illustration, and in Aristotle's logic and rhetoric an inductive proof from examples.^[2] The Septuagint uses it for the pattern of the tabernacle shown to Moses.^[8]

Latin took it as paradigma, whence English paradigm, first "example, model" (late 15th century) and later a pattern of inflection.^[4][5] Medieval vernacular Greek kept it, and Modern Greek παράδειγμα (parádeigma) is the learned continuation, with the phrase παραδείγματος χάριν "for example" modelled on Latin exempli gratia.^[9][10]

Timeline

• 5th century BC – Herodotus uses it of an architect's model and of wooden samples of mummies.^[7][2][11]
• 5th century BC – Sophocles and Thucydides use it of an example or lesson to others.^[3][2]
• 5th–4th century BC – Plato uses it of the divine pattern of things and of a sculptor's model.^[7][2]
• 4th century BC – Aristotle uses it of the Platonic Forms and of inductive proof.^[7][2]
• 3rd century BC – Delian inscriptions and Egyptian papyri use it of models and samples.^[7]
• About AD 300 – Coptic borrows it as ⲡⲁⲣⲁⲇⲉⲓⲅⲙⲁ (paradeigma).^[12]
• Late 15th century – English takes paradigm from Late Latin paradigma.^[4]

Meanings

Noun

1. A pattern or model to be copied, as an architect's model or a sculptor's or painter's model.^[7][2]
2. (philosophy) The eternal pattern after which earthly things are made; the Platonic Form, opposed to its image (εἰκών).^[7][2]
3. A small copy or sample.^[2][7]
4. An example or precedent; a person or conduct held up for imitation.^[7][2]
5. A lesson or warning drawn from what happened to others.^[7][2]
6. An illustration or demonstration in argument, and in logic and rhetoric a proof from examples.^[2]
7. A standard of comparison.^[2]

Word family

• παραδειγματίζω (paradeigmatízō)
• παραδειγματισμός (paradeigmatismós)
• παραδειγματώδης (paradeigmatṓdēs)
• παραδειγματικός (paradeigmatikós)

Related words

• παραδείκνυμι (paradeíknūmi)
• δεῖγμα (deîgma)
• δείκνυμι (deíknūmi)
• Latin paradigma
• English paradigm

Usage notes

The phrase ἐπὶ παραδείγματος (Aeschines) and παραδείγματος ἕνεκα (Lysias) meant “by way of example”.^[7]

References

1. ^ a b c d e 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 Babiniotis, Georgios (2010), Ετυμολογικό λεξικό της νέας ελληνικής γλώσσας [Etymological Dictionary of Modern Greek], Athens: Κέντρο Λεξικολογίας
4. ^ a b c Harper, Douglas. Online Etymology Dictionary, https://www.etymonline.com
5. ^ a b Saalfeld, Günther Alexander (1874), Index Graecorum vocabulorum in linguam latinam translatorum, Berlin: Weidmann
6. ^ Keersmaekers, Alek (2021–2025), GLAUx: The Greek Language Automated corpus, https://github.com/alekkeersmaekers/glaux
7. ^ 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
8. ^ Lust, Johan; Eynikel, Erik; Hauspie, Katrin (2003), Greek-English Lexicon of the Septuagint, rev. ed., Stuttgart: Deutsche Bibelgesellschaft
9. ^ Kriaras, Emmanuel, Επιτομή του Λεξικού της μεσαιωνικής ελληνικής δημώδους γραμματείας 1100–1669, Κέντρο Ελληνικής Γλώσσας, https://www.greek-language.gr
10. ^ Ινστιτούτο Νεοελληνικών Σπουδών (Ίδρυμα Μανόλη Τριανταφυλλίδη) (1998), Λεξικό της κοινής νεοελληνικής, Thessaloniki: Aristotle University of Thessaloniki
11. ^ Rodríguez Adrados, Francisco, et al., eds. (1980–), Diccionario Griego-Español, Madrid: CSIC, http://dge.cchs.csic.es/xdge
12. ^ Database and Dictionary of Greek Loanwords in Coptic (DDGLC), Freie Universität Berlin and Universität Leipzig