ὅρμος

ὅρμος¹ chain, necklace

Pronunciation

• 5th-century BC Attic: /hór.mos/^[1]
• 4th-century AD Koine: /ˈor.mos/^[1]
• 10th-century Byzantine: /ˈor.mos/^[1]

Forms

ὅρμος (hórmos) m (genitive ὅρμου); second declension^[1]

Etymology

The chain is inherited from Proto-Indo-European *sór-mos, an old thematic noun with the suffix *-mo- and the o-grade of the root of εἴρω (eírō, “to string”).^[2][3][1] Wiktionary traces it to *ser- (“to bind”), the root of Latin serō (“to bind”) and Proto-Germanic *sarwą (“armour”).^[1] Martirosyan connects Old Armenian որմ (orm, “wall”), which Beekes finds formally impeccable.^[2]

Earliest recorded meaning

In Homer it is a chain worn round the neck, a necklace; the Odyssey mentions necklaces of gold and electrum.^[4][5]

Semantic evolution

Pindar uses it for anything strung like a necklace, a wreath or chaplet, and for a string of crowns, that is, of praises.^[5][6] Lucian names with it a ring dance in which youths and maidens alternate.^[5][2] Hesychius records the plural for sandal straps.^[5]

Its derivatives include ὁρμίσκος (hormískos), a small necklace (Attic inscriptions, the Septuagint), ὁρμιά (hormiá), a fishing line, and ὁρμαθός (hormathós), a string or chain.^[2] Medieval vernacular Greek still used it for a necklace.^[7]

Timeline

• Homer – The Iliad and the Odyssey use it for a necklace.^[4][5]
• Before the 6th century BC – Hesiod uses it for necklaces.^[5][8]
• 6th–5th century BC – Pindar uses it for a wreath and a string of praises.^[5][6][8]
• 2nd century AD – Lucian uses it for a ring dance.^[5][8]

Meanings

Noun

1. A cord or chain, especially a necklace or collar.^[5][6]
2. Anything strung like a necklace: a wreath, a garland.^[5][6]
3. A ring dance of youths and maidens in turn.^[5]

Word family

• ὁρμαθός (hormathós)
• ὁρμίσκος (hormískos)
• ὁρμιά (hormiá)

ὅρμος² anchorage, harbour

Pronunciation

• 5th-century BC Attic: /hór.mos/^[1]
• 4th-century AD Koine: /ˈor.mos/^[1]
• 10th-century Byzantine: /ˈor.mos/^[1]

Forms

ὅρμος (hórmos) m (genitive ὅρμου); second declension^[1]

Etymology

The anchorage has no certain etymology.^[2][3] It is often connected with ὁρμή (hormḗ, “onset, impulse”), with various explanations of the meaning, such as “starting point”.^[2][3] Beekes finds the link with εἴρω (eírō, “to string, attach”) more promising, starting from a meaning “mooring”, so that it would be the same word as the chain, inherited from Proto-Indo-European *sór-mos.^[2][3][6] A comparison with ἕρμα (hérma, “prop”) has also been proposed.^[2]

Earliest recorded meaning

In the Iliad it is a mooring place, distinguished from the harbour (λιμήν (limḗn)) at Il. 1.435.^[9][4][5]

Semantic evolution

Aeschylus and Attic inscriptions use it for the inner part of a harbour where ships lie, and Euripides and the epigrammatists for a haven or refuge; one poem calls old age the haven of ills.^[5][6] Xenophon uses the plural for the haunts of game, or perhaps for the points where hunting nets were fixed.^[5][6]

The verbs ὁρμέω (horméō) “to lie at anchor” and ὁρμίζω (hormízō) “to bring to anchor” are formed from it, and the papyri have ὁρμοφύλαξ (hormophúlax), a harbour guard.^[2][9] The compound πάνορμος (pánormos), “offering anchorage to all”, is an epithet of harbours in the Odyssey and a place name, the old name of Palermo.^[2][9]

Medieval vernacular Greek used it figuratively for a harbour or refuge.^[7] Modern Greek όρμος (órmos), a learned form, is a small bay where ships can anchor.^[10]

Timeline

• Homer – The Iliad uses it for a mooring place.^[4][5]
• 6th–5th century BC – Aeschylus uses it for the inner part of a harbour.^[5][8]
• 5th century BC – Euripides uses it for a haven or refuge.^[5][6][8]
• 5th–4th century BC – Xenophon uses the plural for the haunts of game.^[5][6][8]
• Modern Greek – The learned Modern Greek όρμος (órmos) names a small bay for anchoring.^[10]

Meanings

Noun

1. A roadstead, anchorage, especially the inner part of a harbour where ships lie; a mooring.^[5][6]
2. (figurative) A haven, a place of refuge.^[5][6]
3. (plural) The haunts of game, or perhaps the fixing points of hunting nets.^[5][6]
4. A means of mooring, an attachment.^[5]

Word family

• ὁρμέω (horméō)
• ὁρμίζω (hormízō)
• ὁρμοφύλαξ (hormophúlax)
• πάνορμος (pánormos)
• ἔφορμος (éphormos)