ὁμαλός

Forms

ὁμᾰλός (homalós) m (feminine ὁμᾰλή, neuter ὁμᾰλόν); first/second declension^[1]

Etymology

It is inherited from Proto-Indo-European *semh₂-l-, from Proto-Indo-European *sem- (“one, together”).^[2][1] The formation is the same as that of Latin similis (“like”) and Old Irish samail (“likeness”); compare also the l-stem in semel (“once”).^[2][1] The o-grade is often thought to come from ὁμός (homós, “same”).^[2][1] Old Armenian ամոլ (amol, “yoked pair of cows”) is probably unrelated.^[2][1]

Earliest recorded meaning

Its only Homeric use is in the Odyssey, where Odysseus has the olive stake for the Cyclops' eye made smooth.^[3][4]

Semantic evolution

Aeschylus uses it of a marriage between equals.^[5][4] Plato and Aristotle use it of what is even, uniform or steady, and of citizens and property on equal terms.^[5] Aristotle also wants the tragic character to be consistent.^[5] Thucydides, Xenophon and Polybius use it of level ground, good for marching or fighting.^[5] A later form ὁμαλής (homalḗs) appears in Plato, Xenophon and Aristotle, and ἀνώμαλος (anṓmalos, “uneven”) is Ionic and Attic.^[2] Modern Greek keeps it as ομαλός (omalós).^[1]

Timeline

• Homer – The Odyssey uses it of a stake made smooth.^[3][4]
• 6th–5th century BC – Aeschylus has it of a marriage of equals.^[5][4][6]
• 5th century BC – Thucydides uses the neuter for level ground.^[5][6]
• 5th–4th century BC – Plato uses it of uniformity and of equality.^[5][6]
• 4th century BC – Aristotle uses it of a consistent dramatic character.^[5][6]

Meanings

Adjective

1. Even, smooth, uniform.^[5][3]
2. Of a state or an action: even, steady, consistent.^[5]
3. Of ground: level; neuter as noun, level ground.^[5]
4. Of persons, status or wealth: on equal terms, equal.^[5]
5. Alike; like anyone else, ordinary.^[5][1]

Word family

• ἀνώμαλος (anṓmalos)
• ὁμαλής (homalḗs)
• ὁμαλίζω (homalízō)
• ὁμαλότης (homalótēs)
• ὁμαλόδερμος (homalódermos)

References

1. ^ a b c d e f g h i j 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. ^ a b c Cunliffe, Richard John (1924), A Lexicon of the Homeric Dialect, London: Blackie and Son
4. ^ a b c d Keersmaekers, Alek (2021–2025), GLAUx: The Greek Language Automated corpus, https://github.com/alekkeersmaekers/glaux
5. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m Diggle, James, et al., eds. (2021), The Cambridge Greek Lexicon, Cambridge: Cambridge University Press
6. ^ a b c d Rodríguez Adrados, Francisco, et al., eds. (1980–), Diccionario Griego-Español, Madrid: CSIC, http://dge.cchs.csic.es/xdge