ἄκρος

Forms

ᾰ̓́κρος (ákros) m (feminine ᾰ̓́κρᾱ, neuter ᾰ̓́κρον); first/second declension^[1]

Etymology

It is inherited from Proto-Indo-European *h₂eḱrós (“sharp”), an r-derivative of the widespread root *h₂eḱ- (“sharp, point”).^[1][2][3] Cognate with Sanskrit अश्रि (áśri-, “corner, edge”), Latin ācer (“sharp”), Old Irish ér (“high”), Old Church Slavonic остръ (ostrŭ, “sharp”) and Old Armenian ասեղն (asełn, “needle”).^[2][1] The Hittite ḫekur (“rock sanctuary”) is unrelated.^[2] Within Greek it belongs with ἀκή (akḗ, “point”), ἀκμή (akmḗ, “edge, peak”) and ὄκρις (ókris, “jagged point”);^[2] the DGE relates it to ἄκων (ákōn, “javelin”).^[4]

Earliest recorded meaning

In the Iliad it is “topmost”: the highest peak of Olympus, the citadel as the “high city”, and the surface of water.^[5][6]

Semantic evolution

The adjective names whatever forms or occupies an extreme part of something: its top, end, edge or surface, and in a superlative way persons or things of the highest degree.^[7] In Homer the phrase “high city” still stands where the Odyssey has the compound ἀκρόπολις (akrópolis).^[2][5] Classical writers use it of the outermost edge of a plain, of the marrow as the innermost part, and of time, “at the edge of evening”;^[5] Herodotus and the tragedians use it of persons supreme in their skill, a consummate archer or seer.^[5] Geometers use it of the endpoints of a line, and tactical writers of the flank men.^[5]

The Modern Greek άκρος (ákros) is learned, and its sense “extreme” is a semantic loan from French extrême.^[8]

Timeline

• Homer – The Iliad uses it of mountain peaks and the citadel.^[5][6]
• 5th century BC – Herodotus uses it of persons supreme in their skill.^[5]
• 5th century BC – Sophocles uses it for the farthest edge of a plain.^[5]
• 3rd–2nd century BC – Apollonius of Perga uses it of the endpoints of a line.^[5][4]

Meanings

Adjective

1. Topmost, highest; at the top of a mountain or building.^[5][7]
2. Outermost, at the end, edge or surface.^[5][7]
3. Innermost, of the marrow.^[5]
4. Of time, at the beginning or end.^[5]
5. Highest in its kind, consummate, supreme.^[5][7]
6. (geometry) At the extremity of a line;^[5] (mathematics) of the extreme terms of a proportion.^[5]

Word family

• ἀκροβάτης (akrobátēs)
• ἀκροστιχίς (akrostikhís)
• ἀκρόπολις (akrópolis)
• ἄκρις (ákris)
• ἀκρότης (akrótēs)

Related words

• ἀκαχμένος (akakhménos)
• ἀκή (akḗ)
• ἀκίς (akís)
• ἀκμή (akmḗ)
• ἄκων (ákōn)
• ὄκρις (ókris)
• Latin acer

References

1. ^ a b c d e f Wiktionary, the free dictionary, https://en.wiktionary.org
2. ^ a b c d e 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. ^ Wodtko, Dagmar S.; Irslinger, Britta; Schneider, Carolin (2008), Nomina im indogermanischen Lexikon, Heidelberg: Winter
4. ^ a b Rodríguez Adrados, Francisco, et al., eds. (1980–), Diccionario Griego-Español, Madrid: CSIC, http://dge.cchs.csic.es/xdge
5. ^ 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
6. ^ a b Keersmaekers, Alek (2021–2025), GLAUx: The Greek Language Automated corpus, https://github.com/alekkeersmaekers/glaux
7. ^ a b c d Diggle, James, et al., eds. (2021), The Cambridge Greek Lexicon, Cambridge: Cambridge University Press
8. ^ Ινστιτούτο Νεοελληνικών Σπουδών (Ίδρυμα Μανόλη Τριανταφυλλίδη) (1998), Λεξικό της κοινής νεοελληνικής, Thessaloniki: Aristotle University of Thessaloniki