σκάπτω

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Ancient Greek

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Etymology

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The entry by Beekes in his Etymological Dictionary of Greek reads (in paraphrase):

"The basis of this verb is either σκαπ- or σκαφ-. In the first case, the relic Latin scapulae (shoulder blades) has been compared, assuming that it originally meant "shovel" as a primary agent noun. In the second case, σκάπτω (skáptō) could formally correspond to a verb for "plane, scratch", in Latin scabō (to scratch, scrape), Proto-Germanic *skabaną (to shave, scrape), Lithuanian skabiù (to scoop out with a chisel), to which the Slavic group of Russian ско́бель (skóbelʹ, spokeshave) is connected, suggesting a derivation from Proto-Indo-European *skabʰ- (to scratch). Connection with σκήπτω (skḗptō, to prop, stay) and σκίπων (skípōn, staff, crutch) is formally and semantically unfeasible. Considering that related terms, like κάπετος (kápetos, ditch, trench), σκάφαλος (skáphalos, one who draws water) and σκαφλεύς (skaphleús), seem to be Pre-Greek, Beekes suggests that the verb could be a loan from a European substrate language."[1]

Pronunciation

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Verb

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σκᾰ́πτω (skáptō)

  1. to dig
    Synonyms: λᾰχαίνω (lakhaínō), ὀρῠ́σσω (orússō)
  2. to dig, delve, for cultivation
  3. to dig about, cultivate by digging

Inflection

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Derived terms

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Descendants

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  • Greek: σκάβω (skávo)

References

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  1. ^ Beekes, Robert S. P. (2010) “σκάπτω”, in Etymological Dictionary of Greek (Leiden Indo-European Etymological Dictionary Series; 10), with the assistance of Lucien van Beek, Leiden, Boston: Brill, →ISBN, page 1342

Further reading

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