ἑταῖρος

Forms

ἑταῖρος (hetaîros) m (genitive ἑταίρου); second declension^[1] Epic ἕταρος (hétaros), Aeolic ἔταιρος (étairos); feminine ἑταίρα (hetaírā) and ἑτάρη (hetárē).^[2][3]

Etymology

It is remodelled from Ancient Greek ἕταρος (hétaros, “companion”), the older epic form.^[4][3] From ἕταρος a feminine was first made with the suffix ⟨‑ια⟩ (as χίμαιρα (khímaira) beside χίμαρος (khímaros)), which became ἑταίρα (hetaírā), and the masculine ἑταῖρος was then formed beside it.^[4][3]

Since ἕταρος shows no trace of a digamma, it cannot come directly from ἔτης (étēs) “kinsman”, which had one.^[4][3] Beekes and Frisk start instead from the reflexive Proto-Indo-European *se with a /t/ extension, as in Lithuanian svẽčias (“guest”), and the suffix ⟨‑ρος⟩ of νεαρός (nearós).^[4][3][1] De Lamberterie connects it with ἐτεός (eteós) “true” and ὅσιος (hósios).^[4]

Ancient writers derived it from ἔθος (éthos) “custom” or from ἕτερος (héteros) “other”: Plutarch says a friend is called a “companion” as being another self.^[5]

Earliest recorded meaning

In Homer it is a comrade, a companion in war, such as the followers of a chief and the crew of Odysseus.^[6][2]

Semantic evolution

From the comrade in arms it widened to any companion or friend.^[2] Xenophon calls Socrates' pupils his companions, and Aristotle uses it of a philosopher's followers.^[2][7] In Thucydides, Lysias and Demosthenes the plural names members of a political club,^[2] while Semonides and Aristophanes use it of a woman's lover, and in Macedonia the Companions were the king's elite cavalry.^[2] In the New Testament it is a friendly but distant address, as in the Gospel of Matthew.^[7]

Modern Greek εταίρος (etaíros) is a learned word for a member of an academy, a company or an alliance; these uses follow French associé and partenaire and English partner.^[8][9] It still names the Companions of the Macedonian king.^[8]

Timeline

• Homer – The Iliad and the Odyssey use it for comrades in war and companions.^[6][2]
• 7th–6th century BC – Semonides uses it of a woman's lover.^[2][10]
• 5th century BC – Thucydides uses the plural of members of political clubs.^[2][10]
• 5th–4th century BC – Xenophon uses it of Socrates' followers.^[2][10]
• 2nd century BC – Polybius uses it for the Companions, the Macedonian cavalry.^[2][10]
• 1st century AD – The Gospel of Matthew uses it as a form of address.^[7]
• Modern Greek – Modern Greek εταίρος (etaíros) survives as a learned word for a member or partner.^[8]

Meanings

Noun

1. A comrade, companion in war or in some activity.^[2][11]
2. A companion, friend.^[2]
3. A follower of a teacher or philosopher.^[2]
4. (plural) Members of a political club or faction.^[2]
5. A woman's lover.^[2]
6. (plural) The Companions, the elite cavalry of the Macedonian kings.^[2]

Word family

• ἑταιρεία (hetaireíā)
• ἑταιρεῖος (hetaireîos)
• ἑταιρεύομαι (hetaireúomai)
• ἑταιρέω (hetairéō)
• ἑταιρίζω (hetairízō)
• ἑταιρικός (hetairikós)
• ἑταίρα (hetaírā)

Related words

• ἔτης (étēs)

References

1. ^ a b c d e Wiktionary, the free dictionary, https://en.wiktionary.org
2. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p q Diggle, James, et al., eds. (2021), The Cambridge Greek Lexicon, Cambridge: Cambridge University Press
3. ^ a b c d e Frisk, Hjalmar (1960–1972), Griechisches etymologisches Wörterbuch, 3 vols, Heidelberg: Carl Winter
4. ^ 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
5. ^ Etygram: ancient etymologies of Greek words, CEPAM, Université Côte d'Azur, http://appsweb-cepam.unice.fr/etygram
6. ^ a b Cunliffe, Richard John (1924), A Lexicon of the Homeric Dialect, London: Blackie and Son
7. ^ a b c 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
8. ^ a b c Ινστιτούτο Νεοελληνικών Σπουδών (Ίδρυμα Μανόλη Τριανταφυλλίδη) (1998), Λεξικό της κοινής νεοελληνικής, Thessaloniki: Aristotle University of Thessaloniki
9. ^ Babiniotis, Georgios (2010), Ετυμολογικό λεξικό της νέας ελληνικής γλώσσας [Etymological Dictionary of Modern Greek], Athens: Κέντρο Λεξικολογίας
10. ^ a b c d Rodríguez Adrados, Francisco, et al., eds. (1980–), Diccionario Griego-Español, Madrid: CSIC, http://dge.cchs.csic.es/xdge
11. ^ Liddell, Henry George; Scott, Robert; Jones, Henry Stuart (1940), A Greek-English Lexicon, 9th ed., Oxford: Clarendon Press