στένω

Forms

στένω (sténō) ^[1]

Etymology

It is inherited from Proto-Hellenic *sténō,^[1] inherited from Proto-Indo-European *sten- (“to groan”), a full-grade thematic present.^[2][3][4] It matches exactly Sanskrit स्तनति (stanati, “to drone, thunder”), Lithuanian stenù (“I groan”) and Old English stenan (“to moan, groan”).^[2][3][4] Proto-Slavic *stenàti (“to groan”) has a present in *-ye-, and the zero grade appears in stunian and Old Norse stynja.^[2][4][1]

The forms without s-, such as Aeolic τέννει (ténnei, “groans, roars”) in Hesychius, Sanskrit तन्यति (tanyati, “to thunder”), Old English þunian (“to resound”) and Latin tonō (“to thunder”), may be related, but Beekes and the LIV leave the question open.^[2][3][1] Chantraine notes that its use for the noise of thunder is typical of the family.^[4]

Earliest recorded meaning

In Homer it is a deep, inward groan: a hero's heart or spirit groans within him, and the sea groans as it swells.^[5][6][7]

Semantic evolution

In tragedy it becomes the loud lament of persons, and it takes an object: to mourn for someone, to bewail a misfortune.^[5][6] The middle voice has the same senses in Aeschylus and Euripides.^[5][6] Theocritus uses it of the cooing of the turtle-dove.^[5][6] It is rare in Comedy and is mainly poetic, and only the present and imperfect are found.^[5]

The Septuagint uses it in Genesis and Job.^[8]

Modern Greek keeps στένω (sténo) only in the learned style, meaning to groan or to suffer.^[9][10]

Timeline

• Homer – The Iliad uses it of the groaning heart and the roaring sea.^[5][7]
• 6th–5th century BC – Aeschylus uses it of persons lamenting aloud and of the sea's groan.^[5][11]
• 5th century BC – Sophocles and Euripides use it with an object: to bewail.^[5][6][11]
• 4th–3rd century BC – Theocritus uses it of the turtle-dove.^[5][11]
• Modern Greek – It survives in the learned style, meaning to groan or to suffer.^[9]

Meanings

Verb

1. To moan, groan, sigh; of the heart, inwardly.^[5][6]
2. Of the sea, a headland or a turtle-dove: to roar, moan.^[6][5]
3. To moan or sigh for someone or something; with the genitive or a preposition.^[5][6]
4. To bewail, lament, mourn for.^[5][6]

Word family

• στενάζω (stenázō)
• στόνος (stónos)
• στοναχή (stonakhḗ)

Related words

• στενάχω (stenákhō)

References

1. ^ a b c d e f g Wiktionary, the free dictionary, https://en.wiktionary.org
2. ^ a b c d 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
3. ^ a b c Rix, Helmut, et al. (2001), Lexikon der indogermanischen Verben, 2nd ed., Wiesbaden: Reichert
4. ^ a b c d 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
5. ^ 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
6. ^ a b c d e f g h i Diggle, James, et al., eds. (2021), The Cambridge Greek Lexicon, Cambridge: Cambridge University Press
7. ^ a b Cunliffe, Richard John (1924), A Lexicon of the Homeric Dialect, London: Blackie and Son
8. ^ Lust, Johan; Eynikel, Erik; Hauspie, Katrin (2003), Greek-English Lexicon of the Septuagint, rev. ed., Stuttgart: Deutsche Bibelgesellschaft
9. ^ a b Ινστιτούτο Νεοελληνικών Σπουδών (Ίδρυμα Μανόλη Τριανταφυλλίδη) (1998), Λεξικό της κοινής νεοελληνικής, Thessaloniki: Aristotle University of Thessaloniki
10. ^ Πάπυρος–Larousse–Britannica, Μέγα Λεξικό της Ελληνικής Γλώσσας, Athens: Πάπυρος
11. ^ a b c Rodríguez Adrados, Francisco, et al., eds. (1980–), Diccionario Griego-Español, Madrid: CSIC, http://dge.cchs.csic.es/xdge