βόσκω

See also: βοσκώ

Ancient Greek

Etymology

From Proto-Indo-European *gʷeh₃- (to feed, tend) with inchoative suffix -σκω (-skō). Cognates include βοῦς (boûs, cow) and Lithuanian gúotas (herd).[1]

Pronunciation

 

Verb

βόσκω • (bóskō)

  1. (of herdsmen) feed, tend
    1. (generally) feed, nourish, support, maintain, keep
      • 800 BCE – 600 BCE, Homer, Illiad 15.545-549:
        συλήσειν· Ἕκτωρ δὲ κασιγνήτοισι κέλευσε πᾶσι μάλα, πρῶτον δʼ Ἱκεταονίδην ἐνένιπεν ἴφθιμον Μελάνιππον. ὃ δʼ ὄφρα μὲν εἰλίποδας βοῦς βόσκʼ ἐν Περκώτῃ δηΐων ἀπὸ νόσφιν ἐόντων· αὐτὰρ ἐπεὶ Δαναῶν νέες ἤλυθον ἀμφιέλισσαι,
        sulḗsein; Héktōr dè kasignḗtoisi kéleuse pâsi mála, prôton d Hiketaonídēn enénipen íphthimon Melánippon. hò d óphra mèn eilípodas boûs bósk en Perkṓtēi dēḯōn apò nósphin eóntōn; autàr epeì Danaôn nées ḗluthon amphiélissai,
        (please add an English translation of this quotation)
      • Apollonius, Argonautica 2.820-822:
        κάπριος ἀργιόδων, ὀλοὸν τέρας, ὅν ῥα καὶ αὐταὶ νύμφαι ἑλειονόμοι ὑπεδείδισαν· οὐδέ τις ἀνδρῶν ἠείδει· οἶος δὲ κατὰ πλατὺ βόσκετο τῖφος.
        káprios argiódōn, oloòn téras, hón rha kaì autaì númphai heleionómoi hupedeídisan; oudé tis andrôn ēeídei; oîos dè katà platù bósketo tîphos.
        (please add an English translation of this quotation)
  2. (passive voice, of cattle) feed, graze
    1. (figuratively) to be fed or nurtured

Usage notes

  • The Doric present infinitive βόσκεν (bósken) is attested. Liddell and Scott suggest a Doric future form βοσκησεῦμαι (boskēseûmai) off the basis of the form βοσκησεῖσθε (boskēseîsthe), which appears in the works of Theocritus.
  • The unaugmented iterative Epic imperfect form βοσκέσκονθ (boskéskonth) is attested, presumably an equivalent to βοσκέσκοντο (boskéskonto).

Inflection

Descendants

  • Greek: βόσκω (vósko)

References

  1. ^ Beekes, Robert S. P. (2010) “βόσκω”, in Etymological Dictionary of Greek (Leiden Indo-European Etymological Dictionary Series; 10), with the assistance of Lucien van Beek, Leiden, Boston: Brill, →ISBN, pages 227-8

Further reading

Greek

Alternative forms

Etymology

Inherited from Ancient Greek βόσκω (bóskō, to feed, to graze).

Pronunciation

  • IPA(key): /ˈvo.sko/
  • Hyphenation: βό‧σκω

Verb

βόσκω • (vósko) (past βόσκησα, passive βόσκομαι, p‑past βοσκήθηκα, ppp βοσκημένος)

  1. (transitive) to graze

Conjugation

  • αβόσκητος (avóskitos, ungrazed)
  • βοσκή f (voskí, pasture, grass)
  • βόσκημα n (vóskima, grazing)
  • βόσκηση f (vóskisi, grazing)
  • βοσκήσιμος (voskísimos, suitable for pasture)
  • βοσκόπουλο m (voskópoulo, shepherd boy)
  • βοσκός m (voskós, shepherd) & compounds
  • βοσκοτόπι n (voskotópi, pasture)
  • βοσκότοπος m (voskótopos, pasture)
  • υποβόσκω (ypovósko, underlie secretely -negative sense-) (formal)