σίδηρος

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Ancient Greek

Alternative forms

Etymology

Unclear and debated:[1]

  • One view compares it with Latin sīdus (constellation, meteorite), with this possibly related to Proto-Indo-European *sweyd- (to sweat), whence Latin sūdor (sweat, moisture), Ancient Greek ἱδρώς (hidrṓs, sweat, perspiration), English sweat.
  • One theory connects the word to words for "silver", like Lithuanian sidãbras and, by proxy, English silver.
  • Another theory compares it with Udi zido (iron), indicating a Northeast Caucasian loanword. This is quite feasible, as the Greeks likely first learned of iron from Asia Minor.
  • Finally, the word is very likely of Pre-Greek origin given its semantics, which has been compared with Ancient Greek σίδη (sídē, pomegranate), linked to the reconstruction *sida (red) thereby giving the meaning of σίδηρος (sídēros) as "red metal" (perhaps in relation to its red oxide ores and minerals).

Pronunciation

 

Noun

σῐ́δηρος (sídērosm (genitive σῐδήρου); second declension

  1. iron
    • c. 90 AD, John of Patmos, Book of Revelation 18:12:
      γόμον χρυσοῦ καὶ ἀργύρου καὶ λίθου τιμίου καὶ μαργαρίτου καὶ βυσσίνου καὶ σηρικοῦ καὶ κοκκίνου, καὶ πᾶν ξύλον θύϊνον καὶ πᾶν σκεῦος ἐλεφάντινον καὶ πᾶν σκεῦος ἐκ ξύλου τιμιωτάτου καὶ χαλκοῦ καὶ σιδήρου καὶ μαρμάρου, []
      gómon khrusoû kaì argúrou kaì líthou timíou kaì margarítou kaì bussínou kaì sērikoû kaì kokkínou, kaì pân xúlon thúïnon kaì pân skeûos elephántinon kaì pân skeûos ek xúlou timiōtátou kaì khalkoû kaì sidḗrou kaì marmárou, []
      The merchandise of gold, and silver, and precious stones, and of pearls, and fine linen, and purple, and silk, and scarlet, and all thyine wood, and all manner vessels of ivory, and all manner vessels of most precious wood, and of brass, and iron, and marble,
  2. iron tool, iron implement
  3. sword
  4. sickle
  5. blacksmith's shop, smithy
  6. (figuratively) something hard, a stubborn force

Declension

Derived terms

References

  1. ^ Beekes, Robert S. P. (2010) “σῐ́δηρος”, in Etymological Dictionary of Greek (Leiden Indo-European Etymological Dictionary Series; 10), with the assistance of Lucien van Beek, Leiden, Boston: Brill, →ISBN, page 1329

Greek

Alternative forms

Etymology

Learned borrowing from Ancient Greek σίδηρος (sídēros), whence also the vernacular forms Byzantine Greek σίδερον n (síderon) and σίδερο (sídero) (an etymological doublet). See σίδηρος (sídēros) for the ultimately disputed etymology.

Pronunciation

Noun

σίδηρος (sídirosm (usually uncountable, plural σίδηροι)

  1. (chemistry) iron (chemical element)
  2. (formal) iron: Εποχή του Σιδήρου f (Epochí tou Sidírou, Iron Age)

Declension

Coordinate terms

Further reading