μολύνω

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Ancient Greek

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Etymology

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Denominative in -ύνω (-únō), like παλύνω (palúnō, to bestrew, besprinkle) and φορύνω (phorúnō, to be mingled), from an unattested base form. Schmidt connects it with Lithuanian mulve (mud, mire) and the factitive verb mulvinti (to cover with mire). In order to combine the root vocalism with that of Lithuanian, he assumes *μαλύνω (*malúnō), and assimilation *α>ο before υ in the following syllable, but there are too many counterexamples to such a rule. Numerous words for "dark, dirty color" and "dirt, defilement" are assembled under Proto-Indo-European *melh₂-, but only Sanskrit मल (mala, dirt, filth, dust) is of interest here, with a derivative मलवत् (malavat, filthy, dirty), which formally matches the hydronim Μολόεις (Molóeis). Both the hydronim and this verb may have been built on older *μόλος (*mólos, dirt), which would correspond to the Sanskrit word. Alternatively, Furnée compares φολύνει (pholúnei, to stain, defile), which could point to a Pre-Greek word. See also μέλας (mélas, black).

Pronunciation

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Verb

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μολύνω (molúnō)

  1. to stain, sully, defile
    Synonym: μορῠ́σσω (morússō)
  2. to pollute
  3. to stain, dye
  4. (in passive) to become vile, disgrace oneself

Conjugation

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Derived terms

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Further reading

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