ἄξος

Ancient Greek

Etymology

Uncertain. If it is related to synonymous ἀγμός (agmós, “fracture; cliff”), perhaps from the same stem as ἄγνυμι (ágnumi, “to break, shatter”), as already implied by Stephanus of Byzantium. Otherwise from Proto-Indo-European *h₂eḱ-s- (“sharp edge”) (like ὀξῠ́ς (oxús, “sharp”)), or Pre-Greek.

Pronunciation

 

• IPA^(key): /ˈak.sos/ → /ˈak.sos/

• (4^th CE Koine) IPA^(key): /ˈak.sos/
• (10^th CE Byzantine) IPA^(key): /ˈak.sos/
• (15^th CE Constantinopolitan) IPA^(key): /ˈak.sos/

Noun

ἄξος • (áxos) m (genitive ἄξου); second declension

1. (Cretan, hapax) cliff, crag

   Synonym: ἀγμός (agmós)

Usage notes

• Invoked by Stephanus of Byzantium to explain the place-name Ὀαξός (Oaxós):
  • c. 6th century CE, Stephanus Byzantius, Ethnica :

    Τινὲς δὲ διὰ τὸ καταγῆναι τὸν τόπον καὶ κρημνώδη ὑπάρχειν· καλοῦσι γὰρ τοὺς τοιούτος τόπους ἄξους καθάπερ καὶ ἡμεῖς ἀγμούς

    Tinès dè dià tò katagênai tòn tópon kaì krēmnṓdē hupárkhein; kaloûsi gàr toùs toioútos tópous áxous katháper kaì hēmeîs agmoús

    Some [say] that because of "breaking" the place is now percipitous: for they call such places "áxous", just like we [call them] "agmoús".

Inflection

Second declension of ὁ ᾰ̓́ξος; τοῦ ᾰ̓́ξου (Attic)

Case / #	Singular	Dual	Plural
Nominative	ὁ ᾰ̓́ξος ho áxos	τὼ ᾰ̓́ξω tṑ áxō	οἱ ᾰ̓́ξοι hoi áxoi
Genitive	τοῦ ᾰ̓́ξου toû áxou	τοῖν ᾰ̓́ξοιν toîn áxoin	τῶν ᾰ̓́ξων tôn áxōn
Dative	τῷ ᾰ̓́ξῳ tôi áxōi	τοῖν ᾰ̓́ξοιν toîn áxoin	τοῖς ᾰ̓́ξοις toîs áxois
Accusative	τὸν ᾰ̓́ξον tòn áxon	τὼ ᾰ̓́ξω tṑ áxō	τοὺς ᾰ̓́ξους toùs áxous
Vocative	ᾰ̓́ξε áxe	ᾰ̓́ξω áxō	ᾰ̓́ξοι áxoi
Notes:	This table gives Attic inflectional endings. For declension in other dialects, see Appendix:Ancient Greek dialectal declension.

Further reading

• “ἄξος”, in Liddell & Scott (1940) A Greek–English Lexicon, Oxford: Clarendon Press
• ἄξος in Bailly, Anatole (1935) Le Grand Bailly: Dictionnaire grec-français, Paris: Hachette
• 1 ἄξος in the Diccionario Griego–Español en línea (2006–2024)

Ancient Macedonian

Etymology

Uncertain. Witczak (1995) connects it with Ancient Greek ὀξύα (oxúa, “beech”), for which he reconstructs (the equivalent of) Proto-Indo-European *h₂óḱsu-.

(This etymology is missing or incomplete. Please add to it, or discuss it at the Etymology scriptorium.)

Noun

ἄξος (áxos)

1. (hapax) a kind of wood

Usage notes

• Only attested as a hapax in Hesychius:
  • 5th century CE, Hesychius Alexandreus, Συναγωγὴ Πασῶν Λέξεων κατὰ Στοιχεῖον Α:

    ἄξος· ὕλη, παρὰ Μακεδόσιν

    áxos; húlē, parà Makedósin

    áxos: wood, among the Macedonians

Further reading

• Hesychius' Lexicon: α
• “ἄξος”, in Liddell & Scott (1940) A Greek–English Lexicon, Oxford: Clarendon Press
• 2 ἄξος in the Diccionario Griego–Español en línea (2006–2024)