ἐγγύη

Ancient Greek

Alternative forms

• ἐγγῠ́ᾱ (engúā)

Etymology

It is usually assumed that this word contains the preposition ἐν- (en-, “in”) +‎ *γύη (*gúē) a lost word for "hand", which is preserved in Avestan 𐬔𐬀𐬎𐬎𐬀 (gauua, “hand”), as well as in ὑπόγυιος (hupóguios, “nigh at end, imminent”). The Avestan form is ambiguous, however, as it can also continue *gabʰa- and be related to Sanskrit गभस्ति (gabhasti, “arm or hand”). This makes the etymology doubtful. Further, Greek has γύαλον (gúalon, “hollow of a cuirass”), γυῖον (guîon, “hand”) and γύης (gúēs, “earth”), and from other languages, we may adduce Lithuanian gáuti (“to get, obtain”), suggesting a derivation from Proto-Indo-European *gew- (“hand”).

Pronunciation

Noun

ἐγγῠ́η • (engúē) f (genitive ἐγγῠ́ης); first declension

1. pledge, surety, security, whether received or given

   Synonyms: ἐνέχῠρον (enékhuron), ῥῡ́σῐον (rhū́sion), ὑποθήκη (hupothḗkē)

2. betrothal, contract for a future marriage

Inflection

Derived terms

Further reading

• “ἐγγύη”, in Liddell & Scott (1940) A Greek–English Lexicon, Oxford: Clarendon Press
• “ἐγγύη”, in Liddell & Scott (1889) An Intermediate Greek–English Lexicon, New York: Harper & Brothers
• ἐγγύη in Bailly, Anatole (1935) Le Grand Bailly: Dictionnaire grec-français, Paris: Hachette
• ἐγγύη in the Diccionario Griego–Español en línea (2006–2024)
• Beekes, Robert S. P. (2010) “ἐγγύη”, in Etymological Dictionary of Greek (Leiden Indo-European Etymological Dictionary Series; 10), with the assistance of Lucien van Beek, Leiden, Boston: Brill, →ISBN, page 369