Likely related to χαῦνος (khaûnos, “porous, loose-grained”) (via an earlier form χάος (kháos) < *χάϝος (*kháwos)), with original meaning "hole, empty space, yawning opening"; from this spring the traditional connections with χάσκω (kháskō, “I gape, yawn”), χήμη (khḗmē, “gaping; clam”). If so, then likely from Proto-Indo-European *gʰeh₂- (“to yawn, gape”); cognates thus include Proto-Germanic *gōmô (“gum, palate”) and Lithuanian gomurỹs (“palate”) (< *gʰéh₂mr̥/n-). The Germanic and Baltic terms probably originally referred to "mouth" before shifting to "palate".[1]
An alternative theory by Furnee connects the word with Proto-Georgian-Zan *qew- (“ravine”).[2]
The oft-compared χώρα (khṓra, “open space, place”) is likely not related.
χᾰ́ος • (kháos) n (genitive χᾰ́εος or χᾰ́ους); third declension (singular only, uncountable)
Normally, only in singular; but χάη occasionally found.
See the etymology of the corresponding lemma form.
χᾰ́ος • (kháos) m or f (neuter χᾰ́ον); second declension
Number | Singular | Dual | Plural | |||||||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Case/Gender | Masculine / Feminine | Neuter | Masculine / Feminine | Neuter | Masculine / Feminine | Neuter | ||||||||
Nominative | χᾰ́ος kháos |
χᾰ́ον kháon |
χᾰ́ω kháō |
χᾰ́ω kháō |
χᾰ́οι kháoi |
χᾰ́ᾰ kháa | ||||||||
Genitive | χᾰ́ου kháou |
χᾰ́ου kháou |
χᾰ́οιν kháoin |
χᾰ́οιν kháoin |
χᾰ́ων kháōn |
χᾰ́ων kháōn | ||||||||
Dative | χᾰ́ῳ kháōi |
χᾰ́ῳ kháōi |
χᾰ́οιν kháoin |
χᾰ́οιν kháoin |
χᾰ́οις kháois |
χᾰ́οις kháois | ||||||||
Accusative | χᾰ́ον kháon |
χᾰ́ον kháon |
χᾰ́ω kháō |
χᾰ́ω kháō |
χᾰ́ους kháous |
χᾰ́ᾰ kháa | ||||||||
Vocative | χᾰ́ε kháe |
χᾰ́ον kháon |
χᾰ́ω kháō |
χᾰ́ω kháō |
χᾰ́οι kháoi |
χᾰ́ᾰ kháa | ||||||||
Derived forms | Adverb | Comparative | Superlative | |||||||||||
χᾰ́ως kháōs |
χᾰώτερος khaṓteros |
χᾰώτᾰτος khaṓtatos | ||||||||||||
Notes: |
|
Learned borrowing from Ancient Greek χάος (kháos). For sense disorder, mess, semantic loan from French chaos (in that sense) from Latin chaos, from Ancient Greek χάος (kháos).[1]
χάος • (cháos) n
singular | |
---|---|
nominative | χάος (cháos) |
genitive | χάους (cháous) |
accusative | χάος (cháos) |
vocative | χάος (cháos) |
Plural χάη, as in literature.