ἄγχω

Forms

ᾰ̓́γχω (ánkhō) ^[1]

Etymology

It is inherited from Proto-Indo-European *h₂emǵʰ- (“narrow, to strangle”).^[2][3] The thematic present corresponds exactly to Latin angō (“to bind tight, strangle”); Hittite ḫamank- has a nasal present.^[2][4] Wiktionary gives the root as *h₂enǵʰ- (“to constrict”).^[1]

The u-stem adjective of this root, as in Sanskrit अंहु (áṃhu, “narrow”), Old Armenian անձուկ (anjuk, “narrow”) and Old English enge, is not found in Greek.^[2][4][1] Related Greek words are ἄγχι (ánkhi, “near”) and ἀγχόνη (ankhónē, “strangling”).^[2]

Earliest recorded meaning

Its first occurrence is in the Iliad (3.371), of a helmet strap choking its wearer.^[5][6]

Semantic evolution

Pindar uses the passive of strangled snakes, and Aristophanes and Demosthenes use it of throttling a person.^[6] Aristophanes also uses it figuratively of creditors pressing their debtors.^[6] It is a fairly rare word.^[7]

Wiktionary names English anxiety and angina among its cognates.^[1]

Timeline

• Homer – The Iliad uses it of a helmet strap choking its wearer.^[5][6]
• 6th–5th century BC – Pindar uses the passive of strangled snakes.^[6][8]
• 5th–4th century BC – Aristophanes uses it of creditors “choking” debtors.^[6][8]
• 4th century BC – Demosthenes uses it of throttling a man.^[6][8]

Meanings

Verb

1. To choke, throttle, strangle a person or animal.^[6][5]
2. (figurative) To press hard, oppress, as creditors do debtors.^[6]

Word family

• ἀγχόνη (ankhónē)
• ἀπάγχω (apánkhō)
• κατάγχω (katánkhō)
• ἀγκτήρ (anktḗr)
• ἄγξις (ánxis)
• ἀνάγχω (anánkhō)
• διάγχω (diánkhō)
• κυνάγχη (kunánkhē)
• περιάγχω (periánkhō)

Related words

• Latin angō

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. ^ Rix, Helmut, et al. (2001), Lexikon der indogermanischen Verben, 2nd ed., Wiesbaden: Reichert
4. ^ 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
5. ^ a b c Cunliffe, Richard John (1924), A Lexicon of the Homeric Dialect, London: Blackie and Son
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. ^ Keersmaekers, Alek (2021–2025), GLAUx: The Greek Language Automated corpus, https://github.com/alekkeersmaekers/glaux
8. ^ a b c Rodríguez Adrados, Francisco, et al., eds. (1980–), Diccionario Griego-Español, Madrid: CSIC, http://dge.cchs.csic.es/xdge