πλευρά

From Wiktionary, the free dictionary
Jump to navigation Jump to search

Ancient Greek

[edit]

Alternative forms

[edit]

Etymology

[edit]

Of uncertain origin. The traditional connections with πλάξ (pláx, flat object, plate) (< *plk-) and παλάμη (palámē, palm) (< *plh₂-em-eh₂-), via an unattested *πλῆ-ϝαρ (*plê-war), suggest a derivation from Proto-Indo-European *pleh₂- (flat). The semantics seem reasonable; however, the morphological formation is unclear.[1]

An alternative theory, deriving the word from a Proto-Indo-European *pnew-reh₂, from *pnew- (to breath), would leave the lambdacism (ν (n) > λ (l)) unexplained (although compare πλεύμων (pleúmōn, lung)), in addition to being semantically farfetched (the "lung membrane" meaning appears to be a much later innovation in the English borrowing that was never present in Greek), particularly when compared to the connection with *pleh₂-. (Can this(+) etymology be sourced?)

Pronunciation

[edit]
 

Noun

[edit]

πλευρᾱ́ (pleurā́f (genitive πλευρᾶς); first declension

  1. (anatomy, usually in the plural) A rib.
    Synonym: πλευρόν (pleurón)
    1. (usually in the plural) A side of a man or animal.
  2. A side of things and places.
  3. (geometry) A line that forms the side of a triangle or other two-dimensional figure.
    1. A side of a rectangle; (mathematics) one factor of any product.
    2. A side of a square of a cube; (mathematics) a root of a square of a cubic number.
    3. A generator of a cone or cylinder.

Inflection

[edit]

Derived terms

[edit]
[edit]

Descendants

[edit]
  • Medieval Latin: pleura

References

[edit]
  1. ^ Beekes, Robert S. P. (2010) “πλευρά”, in Etymological Dictionary of Greek (Leiden Indo-European Etymological Dictionary Series; 10), with the assistance of Lucien van Beek, Leiden, Boston: Brill, →ISBN, page 1208

Further reading

[edit]

Greek

[edit]

Etymology

[edit]

From Ancient Greek πλευρά (pleurá).

Noun

[edit]

πλευρά (plevráf (plural πλευρές)

  1. side (especially a surface or an area)
    στη δυτική πλευρά του κτιρίου
    sti dytikí plevrá tou ktiríou
    on the west side of the building
    η αίθουσα είχε δύο πλευρές με καθίσματα
    i aíthousa eíche dýo plevrés me kathísmata
    the room has two sides with seats
  2. (mathematics) side
    Ένα τρίγωνο έχει τρεις κορυφές, τρεις πλευρές και τρεις γωνίες.
    Éna trígono échei treis koryfés, treis plevrés kai treis goníes.
    A triangle has three points, three sides and three angles.
  3. side
    η δεξιά πλευρά του αυτοκινήτου
    i dexiá plevrá tou aftokinítou
    the right-hand side of the car

Declension

[edit]

Derived terms

[edit]

Noun

[edit]

πλευρά (plevrán

  1. Nominative, accusative and vocative plural form of πλευρό (plevró).