ὀρίνω

Forms

ὀρῑ́νω (orī́nō) ^[1] Lesbian ὀρίννω (orínnō) is cited only by Herodian; the text of Alcaeus has a single ν.^[2][3]

Etymology

Its further analysis is uncertain.^[2][4] LIV takes it as inherited from Proto-Indo-European *h₃ri-né-H-, a nasal-infix present of *h₃rei̯H- (“to swirl, churn”), the same formation as a Vedic verb meaning “sets whirling” and as Gothic 𐍂𐌹𐌽𐌽𐌰𐌽 (rinnan, “to run”).^[5] LIV adds that the initial ὀ- may have been taken over from ὄρνυμι (órnumi).^[5] Beekes likewise sets up a root *h₃r(e)i- (“to set in motion”), which he considers the root of that verb too, and Wiktionary traces both verbs to *h₃er- (“to move, stir”).^[4][1]

The present with long ῑ, on which the other tenses were built, can go back either to *ὀρινιω (*oriniō), with a nasal and a yod suffix as in κλίνω (klī́nō), or to *ὀρινϝω (*orinwō), a thematic remake of a present in -νυ-.^[2][3][4] A two-syllable stem ori- is also found in an Armenian imperative meaning “stand up” and perhaps in Latin orior (“to rise”) and orīgō, though these can be explained otherwise.^[2][4][1]

Earliest recorded meaning

It is an epic verb, found from the second book of the Iliad on.^[6][7] Homer uses it of winds and storms that stir up the sea and of a god who sets the streams of a river in violent motion, but mostly of things that stir the heart: a speech or a sight moves the spirit in a man's breast.^[6][8] In the passive it describes warriors thrown into disorder and put to flight.^[8][6]

Semantic evolution

After Homer it stays a word of poetry: it occurs in Hesiod, Theognis, Pindar and Bacchylides, and only rarely in prose, as in the Problems ascribed to Aristotle.^[6][7][3] It also forms compounds with ἀν- (Alcaeus), ἐξ- (Aeschylus), παρ- (Alcaeus) and συν- (Homer), and gave the late agent noun ὀρίντης (oríntēs, “exciter”).^[3][2] Hesychius records the plural ὀρινίαι for vines that climb up trees.^[3]

Later poets use it of wine stirring the mind, and a late source has it with an infinitive, “to incite someone to do”.^[6]

Timeline

• 700s BC – The Iliad uses it of winds raising the sea and of feelings stirred in the breast.^[6][8]
• Before the 6th century BC – Hesiod uses it in the Works and Days.^[7][9]
• 6th century BC – Theognis uses it in his elegies.^[7][9]
• 5th century BC – Bacchylides has the middle aorist ὠρίνατο.^[6][9]
• 4th century BC – The Problems ascribed to Aristotle use it in prose.^[6][9]

Meanings

Verb

1. To stir up, raise, of wind and water: to stir up the sea, to set a river in spate.^[6][8]
2. To stir, move or excite the heart or spirit; to stir up a lament or a din.^[6][8][10]
3. To throw into confusion, strike with panic; in the passive, to be routed or flee in disorder.^[8][6]
4. (passive) To be stirred or troubled in one's heart.^[6][8]
5. (late) To incite someone to do something, with an accusative and an infinitive.^[6]

Word family

• ὀρίντης (oríntēs)

Related words

• ὄρνυμι (órnumi)
• Latin orior

References

1. ^ a b c d e f Wiktionary, the free dictionary, https://en.wiktionary.org
2. ^ a b c d e Frisk, Hjalmar (1960–1972), Griechisches etymologisches Wörterbuch, 3 vols, Heidelberg: Carl Winter
3. ^ a b c d e 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 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. ^ a b Rix, Helmut, et al. (2001), Lexikon der indogermanischen Verben, 2nd ed., Wiesbaden: Reichert
6. ^ 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
7. ^ a b c d Keersmaekers, Alek (2021–2025), GLAUx: The Greek Language Automated corpus, https://github.com/alekkeersmaekers/glaux
8. ^ a b c d e f g Cunliffe, Richard John (1924), A Lexicon of the Homeric Dialect, London: Blackie and Son
9. ^ a b c d Rodríguez Adrados, Francisco, et al., eds. (1980–), Diccionario Griego-Español, Madrid: CSIC, http://dge.cchs.csic.es/xdge
10. ^ Diggle, James, et al., eds. (2021), The Cambridge Greek Lexicon, Cambridge: Cambridge University Press