πλάζω

Ancient Greek

Etymology

Usually connected with Latin plangō (I beat, strike), Dutch vloeken (to curse, swear) and πλήσσω (plḗssō, to strike, smite). It is not evident at all that the meaning "to drive off course" derives from "to beat"; rather πλήσσω (plḗssō) and this verb influenced each other both formally and semantically. Van Beek suggests that this verb is related to ἀμπλακεῖν (amplakeîn, to miss, fail, come short of) as a Pre-Greek word, to which πλάγιος (plágios, aslant) may perhaps also be connected.

Pronunciation

 

Verb

πλᾰ́ζω • (plắzō) (poetic)

  1. (transitive) to turn away from
  2. to bewilder, dull the mind
  3. (passive voice) to wander, roam

Conjugation

Derived terms

Further reading