ἀήρ Ancient Greek · revision 15550

+ {{infobox|confidence=disputed|formation=inherited|attested=Homer, Iliad|origins=ine-pro *h₂ews-}}

+

+ ==Pronunciation==

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

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

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

+

+ ==Forms==

+ '''ᾱ̓ήρ''' (āḗr) ''m'' or f (genitive ᾱ̓έρος); third declension^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Etymology==

+ The origin is disputed.^(Beekes 2010)^(Frisk 1960) Beekes follows Kiparsky in deriving it from [[m|grk-pro|*auhḗr|t=morning mist]], [[inh|ine-pro|*h₂ewsér]], from [[m|ine-pro|*h₂ews-|t=dawn]]; the related [[m|grc|αὔρα|tr=aúrā]] still means “morning mist” in Odyssey 5.469, and [[la|aurōra|t=dawn]] is cognate.^(Beekes 2010)^(Wiktionary) Meillet derived it instead from [[m|grc|ἀείρω|tr=aeírō|t=to raise]], as “suspension”, but that leaves the long initial vowel unexplained.^(Beekes 2010)^(Frisk 1960) It is not related to [[m|grc|ἄημι|tr=áēmi|t=to blow]].^(Beekes 2010)^(Frisk 1960) Frisk calls it a root noun of unknown origin.^(Frisk 1960)

+

+ The nominative ἀήρ arose by dissimilation, beside Homeric genitive [[m|grc|ἠέρος|tr=ēéros]];^(Beekes 2010) Aeolic has [[m|grc|αὔηρ|tr=aúēr]] and Doric, according to Hesychius, [[m|grc|ἀβήρ|tr=abḗr]].^(Beekes 2010)^(LSJ 1940)

+

+ ==Earliest recorded meaning==

+ In Homer and Hesiod it always means mist or haze, never the air: in the ''Iliad'' Aphrodite hides Paris “in thick mist” (3.381), and a tall fir reaches “through the mist to the upper air” (14.288).^(LSJ 1940)^(DGE)^(Frisk 1960)

+

+ ==Semantic evolution==

+ Homer and Hesiod treat it as feminine; from Herodotus on it is masculine.^(LSJ 1940) Ionic and Attic writers used it for the lower air, the atmosphere, as opposed to the bright upper air, [[αἰθήρ|tr=aithḗr]].^(Frisk 1960)^(LSJ 1940) It also meant wind, empty space, and the blue or grey colour of the sky.^(Wiktionary)

+

+ Latin borrowed it as [[m|la|aer]].^(Saalfeld 1874)^(Wiktionary) Medieval Greek used the form ''αέρας'',^(Kriaras) which is the modern word.^(Wiktionary) English ''aero-'' comes from it.^(Etymonline)

+

+ ==Timeline==

+ * Homer – The ''Iliad'' uses it for mist.^(LSJ 1940)^(DGE)

+ * Before the 6th century BC – Hesiod uses it for haze.^(LSJ 1940)^(Frisk 1960)

+ * 5th century BC – Herodotus uses it as a masculine noun.^(LSJ 1940)^(DGE)

+ * Medieval – Vernacular Greek has αέρας.^(Kriaras)

+ * 20th century – English ''aero-'' is used of aviation.^(Etymonline)

+

+ ==Meanings==

+ ===Noun===

+ # ''(Homer, Hesiod)'' [[m|en|mist|alt=Mist]], [[m|en|haze]].^(LSJ 1940)^(Wiktionary)

+ # The [[m|en|air]], the lower [[m|en|atmosphere]].^(Frisk 1960)^(Wiktionary)

+ # Wind.^(Wiktionary)

+ # Space, volume.^(Wiktionary)

+ # The blue or grey of the sky.^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Word family==

+ * [[ἠερόεις|tr=ēeróeis]]

+ * [[ἀέριος|tr=āérios]]

+ * [[ἀερόπλανος|tr=āeróplanos]]

+ * [[ἀεροπόρος|tr=āeropóros]]

+

+ ==Related words==

+ * [[αἰθήρ|tr=aithḗr]]

+ * [[αὔρα|tr=aúrā]]

+ * [[la|aer]]

+ * [[en|aero-]]

+

+ ==References==

+ {{reflist}}