ῥήτωρ Ancient Greek · revision 15478

+ {{infobox|confidence=established|formation=derivation|attested=5th century BC, Sophocles|origins=ine-pro *werh₁-}}

+

+ ==Pronunciation==

+ * IPA (5th-century BC Attic): /r̥ɛ̌ː.tɔːr/^(Wiktionary)

+ * IPA (4th-century AD Koine): /ˈri.tor/^(Wiktionary)

+ * IPA (10th-century Byzantine): /ˈri.tor/^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Forms==

+ '''ῥήτωρ''' (rhḗtōr) ''m'' (genitive ῥήτορος, diminutive ῥητορῐ́σκος); third declension^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Etymology==

+ It is an agent noun of [[m|grc|εἴρω|tr=eírō|t=to speak]], analysable as [[m|grc|ῥη-|tr=rhē-]] + [[m|grc|-τωρ|tr=-tōr]], from Indo-European [[ine-pro|*werh₁-|t=to speak]].^(Wiktionary)^(Beekes 2010) As the name of a profession it was created in the official language of Athens; its older function as a plain agent noun survives in Euripides' “speakers of words” (Hecuba 124), which echoes the Homeric [[m|grc|ῥητήρ|tr=rhētḗr]] “speaker” of the Iliad (9.443).^(Beekes 2010)^(Frisk 1960)

+

+ ==Earliest recorded meaning==

+ It first appears in the 5th century BC, in Sophocles and Euripides, for a speaker or announcer.^(Beekes 2010)^(LSJ 1940)

+

+ ==Semantic evolution==

+ At Athens οἱ ῥήτορες were the men who spoke in the Assembly and proposed motions, that is the politicians (Aristophanes, Thucydides, Andocides, Lysias).^(LSJ 1940)^(CGL 2021) Plato and Aristotle use it for orators in general.^(CGL 2021) Sophocles once uses it for one who gives sentence, a judge.^(LSJ 1940) In Roman Egypt it was an advocate in court, and later a teacher of eloquence, a rhetorician;^(LSJ 1940) Lucian speaks of the Ten Attic Orators, and for Hermogenes “the orator” is Demosthenes.^(LSJ 1940)

+

+ Its derivatives include [[ῥητορικός|tr=rhētorikós]] “oratorical, rhetorical” and [[ῥητορεύω|tr=rhētoreúō]] “to practise oratory”.^(Beekes 2010)^(Wiktionary) Latin borrowed it as [[m|la|rhetor]], which came through Old French into late 14th-century English as ''rhetor'', “a master or teacher of rhetoric”.^(Saalfeld 1874)^(Etymonline) The modern form is [[el|ρήτορας|tr=rítoras]].^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Timeline==

+ * 5th century BC – Sophocles and Euripides use it for a speaker.^(Beekes 2010)^(LSJ 1940)

+ * 5th–4th century BC – Aristophanes and Thucydides use it for the speakers in the Assembly.^(LSJ 1940)^(CGL 2021)^(DGE)

+ * 1st century AD – Papyri use it for an advocate.^(LSJ 1940)

+ * 2nd century AD – Lucian names the Ten Attic Orators.^(LSJ 1940)^(DGE)

+ * Late 14th century – English borrows ''rhetor''.^(Etymonline)

+

+ ==Meanings==

+ ===Noun===

+ # A public speaker, [[m|en|orator]].^(LSJ 1940)^(CGL 2021)

+ # At Athens, a speaker in the Assembly; a [[m|en|politician]].^(LSJ 1940)^(CGL 2021)

+ # A judge.^(LSJ 1940)

+ # An [[m|en|advocate]], attorney.^(LSJ 1940)^(Wiktionary)

+ # A teacher of eloquence, a [[m|en|rhetorician]].^(LSJ 1940)^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Word family==

+ * [[ῥητορεία|tr=rhētoreía]]

+ * [[ῥητορεύω|tr=rhētoreúō]]

+ * [[ῥητορικός|tr=rhētorikós]]

+

+ ==Related words==

+ * [[la|rhetor]]

+ * [[en|rhetor]]

+

+ ==References==

+ {{reflist}}