κίρκος Ancient Greek · revision 15470

17 Oct 2026, 16:35 by bogdan “New Ancient Greek entries (grc run 2026-10-17, batch 4)” current version
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+ Greek has two words spelled κίρκος, a kind of hawk and a ring.^(Beekes 2010)^(LSJ 1940)
+ 
+ {{homograph|1|hawk}}
+ 
+ {{infobox|confidence=unknown|attested=Homer, Iliad}}
+ 
+ ==Pronunciation==
+ * IPA (5th-century BC Attic): /kír.kos/^(Wiktionary)
+ * IPA (4th-century AD Koine): /ˈcir.kos/^(Wiktionary)
+ * IPA (10th-century Byzantine): /ˈcir.kos/^(Wiktionary)
+ 
+ ==Forms==
+ '''κῐ́ρκος''' (kírkos) ''m'' (genitive κῐ́ρκου); second declension^(Wiktionary)
+ 
+ ==Etymology==
+ The hawk is of unknown origin.^(Beekes 2010)^(Frisk 1960) Frisk and the Πάπυρος dictionary suggest it may be onomatopoeic, comparing [[m|grc|κρέξ|tr=kréx|t=corncrake]].^(Frisk 1960)^(Πάπυρος) Wiktionary instead derives it from Indo-European [[ine-pro|*(s)ker-|t=to bend, turn]], and compares [[ka|კირკიტა|tr=ḳirḳiṭa|t=kestrel]].^(Wiktionary) The view that it is the same word as the “ring”, from the hawk's circling flight, is less likely according to Πάπυρος.^(Πάπυρος)
+ 
+ ==Earliest recorded meaning==
+ Homer uses it for a hawk in the ''Iliad'' (17.757, 22.139), and the ''Odyssey'' has the phrase ἴρηξ κίρκος, in which ἴρηξ is the general word and κίρκος the particular kind (13.87).^(LSJ 1940)^(GLAUx)
+ 
+ ==Semantic evolution==
+ It remained a poetic word: Aeschylus and Apollonius of Rhodes use it, and Aristotle lists it among hawks.^(Beekes 2010)^(LSJ 1940) The species cannot be identified.^(LSJ 1940) The Πάπυρος dictionary suggests that the name of the enchantress [[Κίρκη|tr=Kírkē]] may come from it.^(Πάπυρος) Modern zoology took it as the genus name ''Circus'' (harriers), and ''Circaetus'' for the snake eagles.^(Wiktionary)
+ 
+ ==Timeline==
+ * Homer – The ''Iliad'' and the ''Odyssey'' use it for a hawk.^(LSJ 1940)^(GLAUx)
+ * 6th–5th century BC – Aeschylus uses it.^(LSJ 1940)^(GLAUx)^(DGE)
+ * 4th century BC – Aristotle lists it among hawks.^(LSJ 1940)^(DGE)
+ 
+ ==Meanings==
+ ===Noun===
+ # A kind of [[m|en|hawk]] or [[m|en|falcon]].^(LSJ 1940)^(Beekes 2010)
+ 
+ {{homograph|2|ring}}
+ 
+ {{infobox|confidence=uncertain|attested=3rd century BC, inscription from Delos}}
+ 
+ ==Pronunciation==
+ * IPA (5th-century BC Attic): /kír.kos/^(Wiktionary)
+ * IPA (4th-century AD Koine): /ˈcir.kos/^(Wiktionary)
+ * IPA (10th-century Byzantine): /ˈcir.kos/^(Wiktionary)
+ 
+ ==Forms==
+ '''κῐ́ρκος''' (kírkos) ''m'' (genitive κῐ́ρκου); second declension^(Wiktionary)
+ 
+ ==Etymology==
+ The ring is mostly found in the form [[m|grc|κρίκος|tr=kríkos]], and the grammarian Pollux calls κίρκος the poetic form of it.^(LSJ 1940) Wiktionary connects it with Indo-European [[ine-pro|*(s)ker-|t=to bend, turn]], noting that the two senses may be of different origin.^(Wiktionary)
+ 
+ ==Earliest recorded meaning==
+ It is recorded for a ring in a 3rd-century BC inscription from Delos.^(LSJ 1940)
+ 
+ ==Semantic evolution==
+ Later writers, Polybius, Epictetus and Plutarch, use it for the Roman circus, the same as Latin [[m|la|circus]].^(LSJ 1940) Wiktionary takes the Latin word as borrowed from it.^(Wiktionary) A magical papyrus uses the neuter plural κίρκα for rings or binding spells.^(LSJ 1940)
+ 
+ ==Timeline==
+ * 3rd century BC – An inscription from Delos uses it for a ring.^(LSJ 1940)
+ * 2nd century BC – Polybius uses it for the Roman circus.^(LSJ 1940)^(DGE)
+ * 1st–2nd century AD – Plutarch uses it for the circus.^(LSJ 1940)^(DGE)
+ 
+ ==Meanings==
+ ===Noun===
+ # A [[m|en|circle]], [[m|en|ring]].^(LSJ 1940)^(Wiktionary)
+ # The Roman [[m|en|circus]], racecourse.^(LSJ 1940)^(Wiktionary)
+ 
+ ==Related words==
+ * [[la|circus]]
+ * [[en|circus]]
+ 
+ ==Usage notes==
+ Oppian uses κίρκος for a kind of wolf, Pliny for an unknown stone, and Hesychius and Photius gloss it as “rower” and as the budding of the black poplar.^(LSJ 1940)
+ 
+ ==References==
+ {{reflist}}