ἔλπος

Ancient Greek

Etymology

The word has been proposed to descend from Proto-Indo-European *selp-, with cognates such as सर्पिस् (sarpis) and Old English sealf (English salve). However, we would expect rough breathing. Some have argued that the word is related to ὄλπη (ólpē, “oil flask”), which may or may not affect the proposed Proto-Indo-European origin.

Pronunciation

 

• IPA^(key): /él.pos/ → /ˈel.pos/ → /ˈel.pos/

• (5^th BCE Attic) IPA^(key): /él.pos/
• (1^st CE Egyptian) IPA^(key): /ˈel.pos/
• (4^th CE Koine) IPA^(key): /ˈel.pos/
• (10^th CE Byzantine) IPA^(key): /ˈel.pos/
• (15^th CE Constantinopolitan) IPA^(key): /ˈel.pos/

Noun

ἔλπος • (élpos)

1. (hapax) Hesychius' gives the definition as ἔλαιον (élaion, “olive oil”), στέαρ (stéar, “fat”), εὐθηνία (euthēnía, “abundance”)

References

• “ἔλπος”, in Liddell & Scott (1940) A Greek–English Lexicon, Oxford: Clarendon Press
• ἔλπος in Bailly, Anatole (1935) Le Grand Bailly: Dictionnaire grec-français, Paris: Hachette
• ἔλπος in the Diccionario Griego–Español en línea (2006–2024)
• Hesychius' Lexicon: ε