οἶτος

Ancient Greek

Etymology

According to Beekes, from Proto-Indo-European *Hóytos (oath), like Proto-Germanic *aiþaz (oath) and Proto-Celtic *oitos. As an alternative to *h₁ey- (to go) as the root, he compares Avestan 𐬀𐬉𐬙𐬀 (aēta, punishment, guilt) (which was identified by Bartolomae under an original meaning “part, share”) along with Ancient Greek αἶσα (aîsa, destiny, fate) and αἴτιος (aítios, guilty, culpable). Thus, this noun may rather derive from Proto-Indo-European *h₂oy-to- (what has been granted), which is semantically more convincing.

Pronunciation

 

Noun

οἶτος • (oîtosm (genitive οἴτου); second declension

  1. fate, doom (in negative sense)

Declension

Derived terms

Further reading