χείρ Ancient Greek · revision 15542

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

+

+ ==Pronunciation==

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

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

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

+

+ ==Forms==

+ '''χείρ''' (kheír) ''f'' (genitive χειρός); third declension^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Etymology==

+ It is [[inh|grk-pro|*kʰéhər]], [[inh|ine-pro|*ǵʰésōr|t=hand]], an old inherited word.^(Wiktionary)^(Frisk 1960) Doric [[m|grc|χήρ|tr=khḗr]] and Aeolic [[m|grc|χέρρα|tr=khérra]] correspond well to [[hit|keššar|t=hand]], from [[m|ine-pro|*ǵʰes-r]].^(Beekes 2010) Greek replaced the expected nominative [[m|grc|*χέαρ|tr=*khéar]] after the genitive.^(Beekes 2010) The older reconstruction *ǵʰer-s- has been abandoned.^(Beekes 2010)

+

+ Cognate with [[xto|tsar|t=hand]], [[xcl|ձեռն|tr=jeṙn|t=hand]] and [[sq|dorë|t=hand]].^(Beekes 2010)^(Frisk 1960)^(Wiktionary) A connection with [[sa|हस्त|tr=hásta|t=hand]] and [[peo|dasta-|t=hand]] is likely, though their suffix is hard to explain.^(Beekes 2010)

+

+ ==Earliest recorded meaning==

+ Homer uses it from the first book of the ''Iliad'' (1.14) for the hand.^(GLAUx)^(CGL 2021)

+

+ ==Semantic evolution==

+ From Homer on hands are clasped in greeting and in pledges; they are also raised to heaven.^(CGL 2021) It also meant the arm, the paw of an animal and a finger, and figuratively a deed, strength, violence, or a band of men.^(Wiktionary)^(Beekes 2010)

+

+ It is unlimited in compounds: [[χειροτέχνης|tr=kheirotékhnēs]] “craftsman” (Ionic, Attic), [[χέρνιψ|tr=khérnips]] “water for washing the hands” (''Odyssey'') and many more.^(Beekes 2010)^(Frisk 1960) English ''chiro-'' comes from its combining form, and Lord Kelvin coined ''chiral'' from it in 1894.^(Etymonline)

+

+ ==Timeline==

+ * Homer – The ''Iliad'' uses it for the hand.^(GLAUx)^(CGL 2021)

+ * Homer – The ''Odyssey'' has the compound χέρνιψ.^(Beekes 2010)

+ * 1894 – Lord Kelvin coins ''chiral'' from it.^(Etymonline)

+

+ ==Meanings==

+ ===Noun===

+ # The [[m|en|hand]]; the fist.^(LSJ 1940)^(Beekes 2010)

+ # The [[m|en|arm]], hand and arm together.^(Wiktionary)

+ # The [[m|en|paw]] of an animal.^(Wiktionary)

+ # A finger.^(Wiktionary)

+ # ''(figurative)'' A deed; strength, violence.^(Beekes 2010)

+ # A band, crowd of men.^(Beekes 2010)

+

+ ==Word family==

+ * [[ἐγχειρέω|tr=enkheiréō]]

+ * [[ἑκατόγχειρος|tr=hekatónkheiros]]

+ * [[ἐπιχειρέω|tr=epikheiréō]]

+ * [[πρόχειρος|tr=prókheiros]]

+ * [[χειραγωγέω|tr=kheiragōgéō]]

+ * [[χειραγωγός|tr=kheiragōgós]]

+ * [[χειραπτάζω|tr=kheiraptázō]]

+ * [[χειριδωτός|tr=kheiridōtós]]

+ * [[χειρίζω|tr=kheirízō]]

+ * [[χείριος|tr=kheírios]]

+ * [[χειρόδεικτος|tr=kheiródeiktos]]

+ * [[χειροδίκης|tr=kheirodíkēs]]

+ * [[χειροδράκων|tr=kheirodrákōn]]

+ * [[χειροήθης|tr=kheiroḗthēs]]

+

+ ==Related words==

+ * [[en|chiro-]]

+ * [[en|chiral]]

+

+ ==References==

+ {{reflist}}