βοῦς Ancient Greek · revision 15490

+ {{infobox|confidence=established|formation=inherited|attested=Homer, Iliad|origins=ine-pro *gʷṓws}}

+

+ ==Pronunciation==

+ * IPA (5th-century BC Attic): /bûːs/^(Wiktionary)

+ * IPA (4th-century AD Koine): /ˈβus/^(Wiktionary)

+ * IPA (10th-century Byzantine): /ˈvus/^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Forms==

+ '''βοῦς''' (boûs) ''m'' or f (genitive βοός); third declension^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Etymology==

+ It is [[inh|grk-pro|*gʷous]], [[inh|ine-pro|*gʷṓws|t=cattle]], the old inherited word for cattle, kept almost unchanged in many languages.^(Wiktionary)^(Frisk 1960) Mycenaean has [[gmy|qo-o]], perhaps /gʷōns/, and [[m|gmy|qo-we]].^(Beekes 2010)^(DGE)^(Wiktionary) The Doric and Homeric accusative [[m|grc|βῶν|tr=bôn]] matches Sanskrit [[m|sa|गाम्|tr=gā́m]] and the genitive plural [[m|grc|βοῶν|tr=boôn]] Sanskrit [[m|sa|गवाम्|tr=gávām]].^(Frisk 1960)

+

+ Cognate with [[sa|गौ|tr=gaú|t=cow]], [[la|bōs|t=ox]] (a word taken from Osco-Umbrian), [[xcl|կով|tr=kov|t=cow]], [[sga|bó|t=cow]], [[goh|chuo|t=cow]], [[ang|cū|t=cow]], [[lv|gùovs|t=cow]] and [[cu|говѧдо|tr=govędo|t=cattle]].^(Frisk 1960)^(Wiktionary)

+

+ Ancient grammarians derived it from a verb “to feed” or from [[m|grc|βοάω|tr=boáō|t=to shout]].^(Etygram)

+

+ ==Earliest recorded meaning==

+ Homer uses it from the first book of the ''Iliad'' (1.154) for oxen, bulls and cows, and the ''Odyssey'' opens with the cattle of the Sun (1.8).^(GLAUx)^(CGL 2021) In the ''Iliad'' it also means a shield of ox-hide (7.238).^(LSJ 1940)

+

+ ==Semantic evolution==

+ Cattle were the measure of wealth: in Homer they are gifts, prizes and booty, and an ox stands for something large, strong or valuable.^(CGL 2021) The proverb “an ox stands on my tongue” (Theognis, Aeschylus' ''Agamemnon'') was said by someone who could not speak freely.^(CGL 2021)^(LSJ 1940) Herodotus describes the sacred cattle of Egypt, and Aristotle uses it for the Apis bull.^(CGL 2021) Aristotle and Strabo also give the name to fishes.^(LSJ 1940)

+

+ It is common in compounds, such as [[βουκόλος|tr=boukólos]] “herdsman”, [[βούτυρον|tr=boútūron]] “butter” and [[ἑκατόμβη|tr=hekatómbē]] “hecatomb”.^(Beekes 2010)^(Wiktionary) The diminutive [[βοΐδιον|tr=boḯdion]] is found in Aristophanes.^(Beekes 2010)

+

+ ==Timeline==

+ * Homer – The ''Iliad'' and the ''Odyssey'' use it for cattle and for an ox-hide shield.^(Cunliffe 1924)^(LSJ 1940)

+ * 6th century BC – Theognis has the proverb of the ox on the tongue.^(CGL 2021)^(DGE)

+ * 5th century BC – Herodotus describes the sacred cattle of Egypt.^(CGL 2021)^(DGE)

+ * 4th century BC – Aristotle uses it for the Apis bull and for a fish.^(CGL 2021)^(LSJ 1940)^(DGE)

+

+ ==Meanings==

+ ===Noun===

+ # An [[m|en|ox]], [[m|en|bull]], bullock; a draught ox.^(LSJ 1940)^(CGL 2021)

+ # A [[m|en|cow]], heifer.^(CGL 2021)

+ # ''(plural)'' [[m|en|cattle|alt=Cattle]].^(CGL 2021)

+ # A shield of ox-hide.^(LSJ 1940)^(CGL 2021)

+ # A kind of fish.^(LSJ 1940)

+

+ ==Word family==

+ * [[βουδόρος|tr=boudóros]]

+ * [[βουθυσία|tr=bouthusía]]

+ * [[βουθυτέω|tr=bouthutéō]]

+ * [[βούθυτος|tr=boúthutos]]

+ * [[βουκολέω|tr=boukoléō]]

+ * [[βουκόλιον|tr=boukólion]]

+ * [[βουκόλος|tr=boukólos]]

+ * [[βούνομος|tr=boúnomos]]

+ * [[βούτης|tr=boútēs]]

+ * [[βουφορβέω|tr=bouphorbéō]]

+ * [[βουφόρβια|tr=bouphórbia]]

+ * [[βουφορβός|tr=bouphorbós]]

+ * [[βοῶπις|tr=boôpis]]

+ * [[ἑκατόμβη|tr=hekatómbē]]

+

+ ==Related words==

+ * [[la|bōs]]

+ * [[en|cow]]

+

+ ==Usage notes==

+ “An ox on the tongue” was said of someone kept silent by a weighty reason; the paroemiographers wrongly explained it as bribery with coins stamped with an ox.^(LSJ 1940)

+

+ ==References==

+ {{reflist}}