ἀλείφω

Forms

ᾰ̓λείφω (aleíphō) ^[1]

Etymology

Wiktionary takes it as inherited from Proto-Indo-European *h₂leybʰ-, cognate with Latin lībō (“to pour out, make a libation”).^[1] Beekes considers the origin uncertain and allows that the word may be Pre-Greek.^[2] Most scholars connect it with λίπος (lípos, “fat”), from a root *lei- extended in two ways, *lei-bʰ- here and *lei-p- in λίπος and λιπαρός (liparós, “oily”), with a prothetic vowel in ἀλείφω.^[3][4] Beekes rejects this, because λίπος has /p/, not /pʰ/, and has no initial ἀ-.^[2] He finds a link with ἀλίνω (alínō, “to anoint”) easier in form and meaning, and asks whether the Gothic verb for “to stick, remain” may be related.^[2] Chantraine notes that all the Greek words of the family refer to smearing and rubbing, whence also “to paint”.^[3]

Earliest recorded meaning

In Homer it means to oil or anoint with oil: the Iliad uses it of anointing a corpse (18.350), and the Odyssey of oiling a person or one's own body (6.227).^[5][6] The Odyssey also uses it for stopping up the ears (12.47, 12.177).^[5][7]

Semantic evolution

In classical Greek the middle is used of rubbing oneself with oil before exercise, in Thucydides and Plato, and the perfect participle of oiled athletes.^[6] Plutarch uses the active figuratively of a political leader preparing for a contest.^[6] It was also used of anointing an object as a mark of sanctity, and of smearing with other substances: stones with blood in Herodotus, hair with white lead in Plato, the face with rouge in Xenophon.^[6][7] Inscriptions use it of a city supplying oil for the gymnasium, and Diphilus and Theophrastus of polishing a table or a ring.^[7]

In the New Testament it is used of anointing the feet with perfume and of anointing the sick with oil.^[8][6] The verb lived on in medieval Greek and survives as Modern Greek αλείφω (aleífo).^[9][10]

Timeline

• Homer – The Iliad uses it of anointing a corpse, and the Odyssey of stopping the ears with wax.^[5][6]
• 5th century BC – Herodotus uses it of smearing stones with blood.^[7][6][4]
• 5th century BC – Thucydides uses the middle of athletes oiling themselves.^[6][4]
• 4th–3rd century BC – Theophrastus uses it of oiling a bronze votive offering.^[6][4]
• 1st century AD – The New Testament uses it of anointing the feet with perfume.^[8]
• Modern Greek – It survives as αλείφω.^[10][1]

Meanings

Verb

1. To anoint with oil or perfume a person, a body or a corpse.^[6][7]
2. (middle) To anoint oneself; to rub oneself with oil before exercise.^[6]
3. (figurative) To prepare someone for a contest; to encourage, incite.^[7][6]
4. To anoint an object as a mark of sanctity; to polish.^[6][7]
5. To smear or daub with another substance, such as blood, wax or a colour; to stop up the ears.^[6][5][7]
6. To supply oil for the gymnasium.^[7]

Word family

• ἄλειμμα (áleimma)
• ἀλείπτης (aleíptēs)
• ἄλειφαρ (áleiphar)
• ἄλειψις (áleipsis)
• ἀλοιφή (aloiphḗ)
• ἀπαλείφω (apaleíphō)
• ἐναλείφω (enaleíphō)
• ἐπαλείφω (epaleíphō)
• ὑπαλείφω (hupaleíphō)

Related words

• λίπος (lípos)
• ἀλίνω (alínō)
• Latin lībō

References

1. ^ a b c d e f Wiktionary, the free dictionary, https://en.wiktionary.org
2. ^ a b c 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 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
4. ^ a b c d Rodríguez Adrados, Francisco, et al., eds. (1980–), Diccionario Griego-Español, Madrid: CSIC, http://dge.cchs.csic.es/xdge
5. ^ a b c d Cunliffe, Richard John (1924), A Lexicon of the Homeric Dialect, London: Blackie and Son
6. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n Diggle, James, et al., eds. (2021), The Cambridge Greek Lexicon, Cambridge: Cambridge University Press
7. ^ a b c d e f g h i Liddell, Henry George; Scott, Robert; Jones, Henry Stuart (1940), A Greek-English Lexicon, 9th ed., Oxford: Clarendon Press
8. ^ a b Bauer, Walter; Danker, Frederick W., et al. (2000), A Greek-English Lexicon of the New Testament and Other Early Christian Literature, 3rd ed., Chicago: University of Chicago Press
9. ^ Kriaras, Emmanuel, Επιτομή του Λεξικού της μεσαιωνικής ελληνικής δημώδους γραμματείας 1100–1669, Κέντρο Ελληνικής Γλώσσας, https://www.greek-language.gr
10. ^ a b Ινστιτούτο Νεοελληνικών Σπουδών (Ίδρυμα Μανόλη Τριανταφυλλίδη) (1998), Λεξικό της κοινής νεοελληνικής, Thessaloniki: Aristotle University of Thessaloniki