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γαστήρ

From Wiktionary, the free dictionary

Ancient Greek

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Etymology

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Traditionally derived from a dissimilation of an unattested earlier *γρᾰστήρ (*grastḗr, devourer), from γρᾰ́ω (gráō, to gnaw, eat) +‎ -τήρ (-tḗr, agent noun suffix). If so, Sanskrit ग्रस्तर् (grastar, (astronomy) eclipser (originally "devourer")) would be an exact cognate; for a semantic parallel to the Sanskrit term, compare Chinese (shí, to corrode, eclipse), which is derived from (shí, “to eat”).

However, Beekes is skeptical of the semantics (it is somewhat of a stretch to consider the belly as an "eater"), and tentatively prefers a derivation from *gnt-tēr, with *-tt- > -st-, comparing γέντα (génta, intestines) (which itself is of unclear origin).[1]

Pronunciation

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Noun

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γᾰστήρ (gastḗrf (genitive γᾰστέρος or γᾰστρός); third declension

  1. paunch, belly, hollow, wide part
    • 800 BCE – 600 BCE, Homer, Iliad 13.372:
       []· οὐδ᾽ ἤρκεσε θώρηξ χάλκεος, ὃν φορέεσκε, μέσῃ δ᾽ ἐν γαστέρι πῆξε.
    1. belly (for craving food); gluttony
      • 800 BCE – 600 BCE, Homer, Odyssey 6.133:
         []· κέλεται δέ ἑ γαστὴρ μήλων πειρήσοντα καὶ ἐς πυκινὸν δόμον ἐλθεῖν· []
         []; kéletai dé he gastḕr mḗlōn peirḗsonta kaì es pukinòn dómon eltheîn; []
      • 750 BCE – 650 BCE, Hesiod, Theogony 26:
         []· ποιμένες ἄγραυλοι, κάκ᾽ ἐλέγχεα, γαστέρες οἶον, ἴδμεν ψεύδεα πολλὰ λέγειν ἐτύμοισιν ὁμοῖα, []
    2. sausage, haggis
      • 423 BCE, Aristophanes, The Clouds 409:
        ὀπτῶν γαστέρα τοῖς συγγένεσιν κᾆτ᾿ οὐκ ἔσχων ἀμελήσας, []
  2. (anatomy) womb
    • 800 BCE – 600 BCE, Homer, Iliad 6.58:
      τῶν μή τις ὑπεκφύγοι αἰπὺν ὄλεθρον χεῖράς θ’ ἡμετέρας, μηδ’ ὅν τινα γαστέρι μήτηρ κοῦρον ἐόντα φέροι, μηδ’ ὃς φύγοι, []
      tôn mḗ tis hupekphúgoi aipùn ólethron kheîrás th’ hēmetéras, mēd’ hón tina gastéri mḗtēr koûron eónta phéroi, mēd’ hòs phúgoi, []
    • 6th century BC, Theognis of Megara, Elegies 305:
      Τοὶ κακοὶ οὐ πάντες κακοὶ ἐκ γαστρὸς γεγόνασιν, []
      Toì kakoì ou pántes kakoì ek gastròs gegónasin, []

Usage notes

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The root of γᾰστήρ (gastḗr) contains an ε (e) between τ (t) and ρ (r) which is often syncopated, leading to alternative forms such as genitive singular γᾰστέρος (gastéros) and γᾰστρός (gastrós), dative singular γᾰστέρῐ (gastéri) and γᾰστρῐ́ (gastrí), dative plural γᾰστῆρσῐ (gastêrsi) and γᾰστρᾰ́σῐ (gastrási). The syncopated form is generally more common in forms with long suffixes, such as the aforementioned. The inflection table below lists the more common forms.

Inflection

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Derived terms

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Descendants

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References

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  1. ^ Beekes, Robert S. P. (2010) “γαστήρ”, in Etymological Dictionary of Greek (Leiden Indo-European Etymological Dictionary Series; 10), with the assistance of Lucien van Beek, Leiden, Boston: Brill, →ISBN, page 262

Further reading

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