περίμετρος

Forms

περίμετρος (perímetros) m or f (neuter περίμετρον); second declension; as a noun, ἡ περίμετρος (genitive περιμέτρου).^[1][2]

Etymology

It is a compound from Ancient Greek περι- (peri-) + μέτρον (métron, “measure”).^[1][3][4] In Homer the first part has an intensive sense, “beyond measure”.^[3][5] The feminine noun “perimeter” is the adjective used on its own with γραμμή (grammḗ, “line”) understood.^[6][4][1] Modern Greek περίμετρος (perímetros) is a learned word from it.^[6]

Earliest recorded meaning

In Homer it occurs only in the Odyssey, as an epithet of Penelope's web, which she weaves fine and very large.^[1][3]

Semantic evolution

The Homeric adjective meant “very large” or “very long”: Cunliffe explains Penelope's web as one made of long threads, and Bailly understands it as beyond measure in beauty.^[3][5] The poet Oppian used it again of huge bodies and sea monsters, and Aristaenetus of a garment that fits well all round.^[1][5]

The geometrical noun, ἡ περίμετρος, the line that measures a figure all round, is found in a work ascribed to Aristotle, in Theophrastus, Archimedes, a papyrus of the 3rd century BC, Polybius and Strabo, who uses it for the circumference of the earth.^[1][7][8] It was a common word in the 3rd century BC and in the first centuries AD.^[7]

In Modern Greek περίμετρος (perímetros) is the perimeter of a plane figure and its length and the girth of a body such as a tree trunk.^[6][8]

Timeline

• Homer – The Odyssey calls Penelope's web very large.^[1][3]
• 4th–3rd century BC – Theophrastus uses the noun for a circumference.^[1][9]
• 3rd century BC – Archimedes uses it in his geometrical works, and a papyrus uses it for a perimeter.^[7][1]
• 2nd century BC – Polybius uses the noun.^[1][9]
• 1st century BC to 1st century AD – Strabo speaks of the circumference of the earth.^[1][8][9]
• 2nd century AD – Oppian uses the adjective of huge bodies.^[1][9]
• 5th century AD – Aristaenetus uses it of a well-fitting garment.^[1][9]
• Modern Greek – It survives as a learned word for a perimeter.^[6]

Meanings

Adjective

1. Very large or very long, beyond measure; in Homer, of Penelope's web; later, of huge bodies.^[1][3][5]
2. Well fitting all round, of a garment.^[1][5]

Noun

1. (geometry) The perimeter or circumference of a figure; the circuit of a place.^[1][2][8]

Related words

• μέτρον (métron)
• περίμετρον (perímetron)
• English perimeter

References

1. ^ 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
2. ^ a b Korinthios, J. (2025), Grande Dizionario Greco Classico: Greco–Italiano, digital ed., Milan: Hoepli
3. ^ a b c d e f Cunliffe, Richard John (1924), A Lexicon of the Homeric Dialect, London: Blackie and Son
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 Bailly, Anatole (2020), Dictionnaire grec-français, Bailly 2020 Hugo Chávez ed., ed. Gérard Gréco et al.
6. ^ a b c d Ινστιτούτο Νεοελληνικών Σπουδών (Ίδρυμα Μανόλη Τριανταφυλλίδη) (1998), Λεξικό της κοινής νεοελληνικής, Thessaloniki: Aristotle University of Thessaloniki
7. ^ a b c Keersmaekers, Alek (2021–2025), GLAUx: The Greek Language Automated corpus, https://github.com/alekkeersmaekers/glaux
8. ^ a b c d Πάπυρος–Larousse–Britannica, Μέγα Λεξικό της Ελληνικής Γλώσσας, Athens: Πάπυρος
9. ^ a b c d e Rodríguez Adrados, Francisco, et al., eds. (1980–), Diccionario Griego-Español, Madrid: CSIC, http://dge.cchs.csic.es/xdge