σπονδεῖος

Forms

σπονδεῖος (spondeîos) m (feminine σπονδείᾱ, neuter σπονδεῖον); first/second declension^[1]

Etymology

It is formed with the adjective suffix -εῖος (-eîos) from Ancient Greek σπονδή (spondḗ, “libation”).^[1][2] The metrical foot was so called because this rhythm was used in the songs that went with libations.^[3][2][4]

The noun σπονδή (spondḗ) belongs to σπένδω (spéndō) “to pour a libation”,^[1] which goes back to Proto-Indo-European *spend-, a root with cognates in Hittite, Tocharian and Latin spondeō “to pledge, promise”.^[5][6]

Earliest recorded meaning

It is first found in Dionysius of Halicarnassus (1st century BC), both of a tune played at libations and, used as a noun with “foot” understood, of the spondee, a foot of two long syllables.^[3][7][8]

Semantic evolution

The adjective meant “used at a libation”, of a tune or song,^[3] and Plutarch uses it as a noun for a piece of music played at libations.^[3] The metrical term, “foot” being understood, is the sense the grammarians kept, from Dionysius of Halicarnassus and Hephaestion on.^[3] The physician Rufus applied it to an even pulse.^[3] The CGL also gives a neuter σπονδεῖον, a cup for libations, in Plutarch.^[9]

Latin borrowed the word as spondeus,^[10] and English spondee comes from it through Old French (late 14th century).^[4] In Modern Greek σπονδείος is a learned word for the metrical foot.^[11][12]

Timeline

• 1st century BC – Dionysius of Halicarnassus uses it of a libation tune and of the metrical foot.^[3][8]
• 1st–2nd century AD – Plutarch uses it as a noun for a piece of music played at libations.^[3][8]
• 1st–2nd century AD – Rufus applies it to an even pulse.^[3][8]
• 2nd century AD – Hephaestion and Pollux use it, of the foot and of a libation tune.^[3][8]
• Late 14th century – English borrows it through Old French as spondee.^[4]

Meanings

Adjective

1. Used at a libation (of a tune or song).^[3][9]
2. (as a noun) A piece of music played at libations.^[3]
3. (as a noun, neuter) A libation cup.^[9]

Noun

1. (metre) A spondee, a foot of two long syllables.^[3]
2. (medicine) An even pulse.^[3]

Related words

• σπονδή (spondḗ)
• σπένδω (spéndō)
• Latin spondeus
• English spondee

References

1. ^ a b c d e f Wiktionary, the free dictionary, https://en.wiktionary.org
2. ^ a b Babiniotis, Georgios (2010), Ετυμολογικό λεξικό της νέας ελληνικής γλώσσας [Etymological Dictionary of Modern Greek], Athens: Κέντρο Λεξικολογίας
3. ^ 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
4. ^ a b c Harper, Douglas. Online Etymology Dictionary, https://www.etymonline.com
5. ^ 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
6. ^ Rix, Helmut, et al. (2001), Lexikon der indogermanischen Verben, 2nd ed., Wiesbaden: Reichert
7. ^ Keersmaekers, Alek (2021–2025), GLAUx: The Greek Language Automated corpus, https://github.com/alekkeersmaekers/glaux
8. ^ a b c d e Rodríguez Adrados, Francisco, et al., eds. (1980–), Diccionario Griego-Español, Madrid: CSIC, http://dge.cchs.csic.es/xdge
9. ^ a b c Diggle, James, et al., eds. (2021), The Cambridge Greek Lexicon, Cambridge: Cambridge University Press
10. ^ Saalfeld, Günther Alexander (1874), Index Graecorum vocabulorum in linguam latinam translatorum, Berlin: Weidmann
11. ^ Ινστιτούτο Νεοελληνικών Σπουδών (Ίδρυμα Μανόλη Τριανταφυλλίδη) (1998), Λεξικό της κοινής νεοελληνικής, Thessaloniki: Aristotle University of Thessaloniki
12. ^ Kriaras, Emmanuel, Επιτομή του Λεξικού της μεσαιωνικής ελληνικής δημώδους γραμματείας 1100–1669, Κέντρο Ελληνικής Γλώσσας, https://www.greek-language.gr