σπίζω

Ancient Greek

Etymology 1

Unknown; likely ultimately onomatopoeic. The connection with σπίνος (spínos), σπίγγος (spíngos, (chaf)finch) and Proto-Germanic *finkiz (finch) (traditionally from Proto-Indo-European *(s)ping-), if valid, could point to a European wanderwort.[1] But compare also σπίγγαν (spíngan) and σπύγγας (spúngas) (glosses uncertain, but referring to kinds of birds), which cannot be from the same Greek root.

Pronunciation

 

Verb

σπίζω • (spízō)

  1. to pipe, chirp, squeak (of small birds, to produce a shrill note)
Derived terms

References

  1. ^ Beekes, Robert S. P. (2010) “σπίζω”, in Etymological Dictionary of Greek (Leiden Indo-European Etymological Dictionary Series; 10), with the assistance of Lucien van Beek, Leiden, Boston: Brill, →ISBN, pages 1382–1383

Etymology 2

Possibly from Proto-Indo-European *speyd-, an extension of *spey- (to expand, extend, stretch) This etymology is incomplete. You can help Wiktionary by elaborating on the origins of this term. . Beekes considers the verb a derivative of σπίδιος (spídios, extensive, wide), of uncertain origin. Possibly related to σπιδνός (spidnós, solid, dense) and Latin spissus (dense; slow, laborious).[1]

Verb

σπίζω • (spízō)

  1. to extend
Inflection

References

  1. ^ Beekes, Robert S. P. (2010) “σπίδιος”, in Etymological Dictionary of Greek (Leiden Indo-European Etymological Dictionary Series; 10), with the assistance of Lucien van Beek, Leiden, Boston: Brill, →ISBN, page 1382

Further reading