βάσανος

Ancient Greek

Etymology

From Egyptian bḫn (a hard stone),


via Lydia, which was used by the Egyptians as a touchstone of gold.[1][2]

Pronunciation

 

Noun

βάσᾰνος • (básănosf (genitive βασάνου); second declension

  1. gold touchstone (stone which is rubbed on gold to ascertain its authenticity by leaving a yellow streak)
  2. (figuratively)
    1. test, trial (whether a thing is genuine or real)
    2. inquiry by torture

Declension

Derived terms

Descendants

  • Greek: βάσανος (vásanos, examination, probe)
  • Greek: βάσανο (vásano, torture)

References

  1. ^ Beekes, Robert S. P. (2010) “βάσανος”, in Etymological Dictionary of Greek (Leiden Indo-European Etymological Dictionary Series; 10), with the assistance of Lucien van Beek, Leiden, Boston: Brill, →ISBN, page 203
  2. ^ Erman & Grapow (1971) Worterbuch der aegyptischen Sprache, page 471

Further reading

Greek

Etymology

From Ancient Greek βάσανος (básanos, gold touchstone).

Pronunciation

  • IPA(key): /ˈvasanos/
  • Hyphenation: βά‧σα‧νος

Noun

βάσανος • (vásanosf (plural βάσανοι)

  1. (formal) probe, investigation (careful and attentive examination)
    Πρέπει να περάσει βάσανο πριν δημοσιευτεί.
    Prépei na perásei vásano prin dimosiefteí.
    It has to go through an examination before it's published.

Declension

Declension of βάσανος
singular plural
nominative βάσανος (vásanos) βάσανοι (vásanoi)
genitive βασάνου (vasánou) βασάνων (vasánon)
accusative βάσανο (vásano) βασάνους (vasánous)
vocative βάσανε (vásane)
βάσανο (vásano)
βάσανοι (vásanoi)

Synonyms