σκότος Ancient Greek · revision 15593

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

+

+ ==Pronunciation==

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

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

+ * IPA (10th-century Byzantine): /ˈsko.tos/^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Forms==

+ '''σκότος''' (skótos) ''m'' (genitive σκότου); second declension^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Etymology==

+ It has no direct match outside Greek but a close relative in the Germanic word for “shadow”: [[got|𐍃𐌺𐌰𐌳𐌿𐍃|tr=skadus|t=shadow]], [[ang|sceadu|t=shadow, darkness]] and [[goh|scato|t=shadow]].^(Beekes 2010)^(Frisk 1960) Celtic has a form with a long vowel, [[sga|scáth|t=shadow]].^(Beekes 2010)^(Frisk 1960)^(Wiktionary) Beekes reconstructs either [[m|ine-pro|*skoto-]] for Greek and Germanic beside [[m|ine-pro|*skōto-]] for Celtic, or an ablauting root noun [[m|ine-pro|*sk(e)h₃t-]].^(Beekes 2010)^(Wiktionary)

+

+ It was masculine, and since the 5th century BC also neuter, after [[m|grc|φῶς|tr=phôs|t=light]].^(Beekes 2010)^(Frisk 1960)

+

+ ==Earliest recorded meaning==

+ In the ''Iliad'' it is always the darkness of death, in the formula “darkness covered his eyes” (4.461).^(LSJ 1940)^(GLAUx) The ''Odyssey'' uses it for darkness in general (19.389).^(LSJ 1940)

+

+ ==Semantic evolution==

+ Lyric, tragedy and prose used it for darkness as opposed to light or day, and Euripides keeps the darkness of death.^(LSJ 1940)^(CGL 2021) Pindar and the tragedians use it for the darkness of the underworld, Aeschylus for the darkness of the womb, and Sophocles and Euripides for blindness.^(CGL 2021) Figuratively it was concealment and secrecy (Pindar, Bacchylides, tragedy, Plato) and, of the mind, ignorance and obscurity.^(CGL 2021)^(Wiktionary) It also named the dizzy darkness before the eyes, and the shadow in a picture.^(Beekes 2010)^(Wiktionary)

+

+ In the New Testament it is the domain of evil spirits.^(CGL 2021) Medieval and Modern Greek keep ''σκότος'' as a learned word.^(Kriaras)^(Triantafyllidis 1998)

+

+ ==Timeline==

+ * Homer – The ''Iliad'' uses it for the darkness of death.^(LSJ 1940)^(GLAUx)

+ * Homer – The ''Odyssey'' uses it for darkness in general.^(LSJ 1940)

+ * 6th–5th century BC – Aeschylus uses it for the darkness of the womb.^(CGL 2021)^(DGE)

+ * 5th century BC – It is also used as a neuter noun.^(Beekes 2010)^(Frisk 1960)

+ * 1st century AD – The New Testament uses it for the domain of evil.^(CGL 2021)

+

+ ==Meanings==

+ ===Noun===

+ # [[m|en|darkness|alt=Darkness]], dark, gloom.^(LSJ 1940)^(CGL 2021)

+ # The darkness of death; of the underworld.^(LSJ 1940)^(CGL 2021)

+ # [[m|en|blindness|alt=Blindness]]; dizziness.^(CGL 2021)^(Beekes 2010)

+ # ''(figurative)'' Concealment, secrecy; [[m|en|obscurity]], ignorance.^(CGL 2021)^(Wiktionary)

+ # The shadow in a picture.^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Word family==

+ * [[ἀποσκοτόομαι|tr=aposkotóomai]]

+ * [[ἐπισκοτέω|tr=episkotéō]]

+ * [[ἐπισκότησις|tr=episkótēsis]]

+ * [[ἐπίσκοτος|tr=epískotos]]

+ * [[σκοταῖος|tr=skotaîos]]

+ * [[σκοτεινόν|tr=skoteinón]]

+ * [[σκοτεινός|tr=skoteinós]]

+ * [[σκοτεινότης|tr=skoteinótēs]]

+ * [[σκοτεινῶς|tr=skoteinôs]]

+ * [[σκοτία|tr=skotíā]]

+ * [[σκοτίζομαι|tr=skotízomai]]

+ * [[σκότιος|tr=skótios]]

+ * [[σκοτοδασυπυκνόθριξ|tr=skotodasupuknóthrix]]

+ * [[σκοτόεις|tr=skotóeis]]

+

+ ==Related words==

+ * [[σκιά|tr=skiā́]]

+ * [[en|shadow]]

+

+ ==References==

+ {{reflist}}