σκάπτω

Ancient Greek

Etymology

    The entry by Beekes in his Etymological Dictionary of Greek reads (in paraphrase):

    "The basis of this verb is either σκαπ- or σκαφ-. In the first case, the relic Latin scapulae (shoulder blades) has been compared, assuming that it originally meant "shovel" as a primary agent noun. In the second case, σκάπτω (skáptō) could formally correspond to a verb for "plane, scratch", in Latin scabō (to scratch, scrape), Proto-Germanic *skabaną (to shave, scrape), Lithuanian skabiù (to scoop out with a chisel), to which the Slavic group of Russian ско́бель (skóbelʹ, spokeshave) is connected, suggesting a derivation from Proto-Indo-European *skabʰ- (to scratch). Connection with σκήπτω (skḗptō, to prop, stay) and σκίπων (skípōn, staff, crutch) is formally and semantically unfeasible. Considering that related terms, like κάπετος (kápetos, ditch, trench), σκάφαλος (skáphalos, one who draws water) and σκαφλεύς (skaphleús), seem to be Pre-Greek, Beekes suggests that the verb could be a loan from a European substrate language."[1]

    Pronunciation

     

    Verb

    σκᾰ́πτω • (skắptō)

    1. to dig
      Synonyms: λᾰχαίνω (lăkhaínō), ὀρῠ́σσω (orŭ́ssō)
    2. to dig, delve, for cultivation
    3. to dig about, cultivate by digging

    Inflection

    Derived terms

    Descendants

    • Greek: σκάβω (skávo)

    References

    1. ^ Beekes, Robert S. P. (2010) “σκάπτω”, in Etymological Dictionary of Greek (Leiden Indo-European Etymological Dictionary Series; 10), with the assistance of Lucien van Beek, Leiden, Boston: Brill, →ISBN, page 1342

    Further reading