ἦθος Ancient Greek · revision 15559

+ {{infobox|confidence=probable|formation=inherited|attested=Homer, Iliad}}

+

+ ==Pronunciation==

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

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

+ * IPA (10th-century Byzantine): /ˈi.θos/^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Forms==

+ '''ἦθος''' (êthos) ''n'' (genitive ἤθους); third declension^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Etymology==

+ It differs from [[m|grc|ἔθος|tr=éthos|t=custom]] only in its long vowel; the /o/ grade appears in [[m|grc|εἴωθα|tr=eíōtha|t=I am accustomed]].^(Beekes 2010)^(Frisk 1960) It goes back to older [[m|grc|*ϝῆθος|tr=*wêthos]], and Homer shows traces of the initial /w/.^(Wiktionary)^(Beekes 2010) Wiktionary compares [[sa|स्वधा|tr=svadhā́|t=custom]],^(Wiktionary) and Etymonline traces it to the reflexive pronoun root [[ine-pro|*s(w)e-]].^(Wiktionary)^(Etymonline) Beekes calls further connections uncertain, and rejects comparisons with Sanskrit [[m|sa|सस्य|tr=sasyá|t=produce]] and [[m|sa|अवस|tr=avasá|t=food]].^(Beekes 2010)

+

+ ==Earliest recorded meaning==

+ Homer has only the plural ἤθεα, for the accustomed haunts of animals: the haunts and pasture of horses (''Iliad'' 6.511) and the sties of swine (''Odyssey'' 14.411).^(LSJ 1940)^(GLAUx)

+

+ ==Semantic evolution==

+ Hesiod and Herodotus use the plural for the abodes of men, and Herodotus says the sun once rose “out of its accustomed place”.^(LSJ 1940) The singular, from Hesiod and Pindar on, is custom and character: the nature and disposition of persons, gods, animals and states (Theognis, Heraclitus, tragedy), habits and ways, and the customs of a people.^(CGL 2021)^(Beekes 2010) Xenophon and Plutarch use it for outward bearing.^(CGL 2021)

+

+ Aristotle made it a technical term of literary criticism, for characterisation and for a character in a play, and its adjective [[ἠθικός|tr=ēthikós]] “of character, moral” is his.^(CGL 2021)^(Beekes 2010) English ''ethos'' (1851) comes from it.^(Etymonline) Modern Greek ''ήθος'' is a learned word.^(Triantafyllidis 1998)

+

+ ==Timeline==

+ * Homer – The ''Iliad'' and the ''Odyssey'' use the plural for animals' haunts.^(LSJ 1940)^(GLAUx)

+ * Before the 6th century BC – Hesiod uses it for character and for abodes.^(CGL 2021)^(LSJ 1940)^(DGE)

+ * 6th–5th century BC – Heraclitus uses it for character.^(CGL 2021)^(DGE)

+ * 4th century BC – Aristotle uses it for characterisation in drama.^(CGL 2021)^(DGE)

+ * 1851 – English ''ethos'' is recorded.^(Etymonline)

+

+ ==Meanings==

+ ===Noun===

+ # ''(plural)'' Accustomed places, haunts, abodes.^(LSJ 1940)^(Wiktionary)

+ # [[m|en|character|alt=Character]], disposition, nature.^(CGL 2021)^(Wiktionary)

+ # Outward bearing, demeanour.^(CGL 2021)

+ # ''(literary criticism)'' Characterisation; a character in a play.^(CGL 2021)^(Wiktionary)

+ # ''(plural)'' Habits, [[m|en|custom|alt=customs]], manners.^(CGL 2021)^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Word family==

+ * [[ἀήθης|tr=aḗthēs]]

+ * [[εὐήθης|tr=euḗthēs]]

+ * [[ἠθάς|tr=ēthás]]

+ * [[ἠθεῖος|tr=ētheîos]]

+ * [[ἠθικός|tr=ēthikós]]

+ * [[ἠθοποιός|tr=ēthopoiós]]

+ * [[κακοήθης|tr=kakoḗthēs]]

+ * [[ὁμοήθης|tr=homoḗthēs]]

+ * [[συνήθης|tr=sunḗthēs]]

+ * [[χειροήθης|tr=kheiroḗthēs]]

+ * [[χρηστοήθης|tr=khrēstoḗthēs]]

+ * [[ἠθαλέος|tr=ēthaléos]]

+ * [[ἠθολόγος|tr=ēthológos]]

+ * [[καλοήθης|tr=kaloḗthēs]]

+

+ ==Related words==

+ * [[en|ethos]]

+ * [[en|ethic]]

+

+ ==References==

+ {{reflist}}