Etymologically
Log in

ὁμαλός

This is the current revision of this entry, as edited by bogdan on 24 October 2026 at 19:19. This address is a permanent link to this version.
Changes in this edit History

Pronunciation

  • 5th-century BC Attic: /ho.ma.lós/[1]
  • 4th-century AD Koine: /o.maˈlos/[1]
  • 10th-century Byzantine: /o.maˈlos/[1]

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