τέλσον

Ancient Greek

Etymology

According to Beekes, from Proto-Indo-European *kʷels- (to carve, draw), which corresponds to Hittite 𒄢𒀸𒍣 (gulšzi, to carve, engrave, inscribe), Sanskrit कर्स् (kars, to pull, drag, plow) and Avestan 𐬐𐬀𐬭𐬱 (karš, to pull, drag, plow); the retention of -λσ- is regular if the accent was on the preceding syllable. Forbes does not accept this phonological root and therefore derives the word from the root of τέλος (télos, accomplishment, fulfillment), which Beekes finds unsatisfactory and unnecessary, particularly if the root is to be reconstructed with a final laryngeal, *kʷelh₁-, though this is debated.

Pronunciation

 

Noun

τέλσον • (télsonn (genitive τέλσου); second declension

  1. headland, the land where the plough turned
  2. end, boundary, limit
    Synonym: τέρμα (térma)

Inflection

Descendants

  • English: telson

Further reading