μέρμερος: Difference between revisions

|etymtx=Grammatical information: adj.<br />Meaning: Conventional epithet of unclear meaning (after H. <b class="b3">μέρμερα</b> = <b class="b3">χαλεπά</b>, <b class="b3">δεινά</b>, <b class="b3">φροντίδος ἄξια</b>); apparently intensive formation with reduplication, which suggests connection with <b class="b3">μέρ-ιμνα</b>(?). So prop. meaning [[causing meditation]], [[cares]], from where [[distressful]], [[dreadful]] v. t.(?), of persons <b class="b2">(much) meditating, caring</b>; also as PN (Apollod., Paus.).<br />Other forms: (Hom., only Il.) always n. pl. <b class="b3">μέρμερα</b> as epithet of <b class="b3">ἔργα</b>, also as object of <b class="b3">ῥέζειν</b>, <b class="b3">μητίσασθαι</b>, posthom. of <b class="b3">κακόν</b>, <b class="b3">βλάβη</b> etc. (E., Lyc., Nic.), also of persons and animals (Pl. Hp. Ma., Plu., Opp.); enlarged. <b class="b3">μερ-μέριος</b> (Them.).<br />Derivatives: Besides <b class="b3">μέρμηραι</b> f. pl. [[cares]], [[anxieties]] (Hes. Th. 55, Thgn. 1325, also IG 14, 1942 [late verse]), <b class="b3">μερμηρίζω</b>, <b class="b3">-ίξαι</b>, <b class="b3">-ίξω</b> <b class="b2">care, meditate, invent, consider, linger</b> (Hom.; cf. Ruijgh L'élém. ach. 87); also <b class="b3">μερμαίρω</b> (Suid., H., Phot. [codd. also <b class="b3">-μέρω</b>]); on <b class="b3">ἀπο-μερμηρίσαι</b> <b class="b2">forget the cares</b> (Ar. V. 5, D. C.) s. Ruijgh ibd.<br />Origin: PG [a word of Pre-Greek origin]<br />Etymology: The length of the vowel in <b class="b3">μέρ-μηρ-αι</b> againt <b class="b3">μέρ-μερ-ος</b> has been explained from <b class="b3">μερμηρίζω</b>, where it is ascribed to the metre, but this is no sufficient explanation; rather it points to Pre-Greek origin; on <b class="b3">ε</b>\/<b class="b3">η</b> s. Fur. 257 n. 42. -- Under <b class="b3">μέριμνα</b> we pointed to the primary thematic root-verb Skt. <b class="b2">smárati</b>, Av. [[maraiti]] [[remember]] (reduplicated <b class="b2">hi-šmar-</b>); further there is, with broken reduplication, Arm. [[mormok]] [[regret]], [[displeausre]], [[sorrow]], [[grief]] and the also reduplicated Lat. <b class="b2">me-mor</b> [[mindful]], to which prob. also [[mora]] [[delay]]. Further, partly doubtful cognates from Germ. a. Celt., for Greek unimportant, in WP. 2, 689f., Pok. 969f., W.-Hofmann s. [[memor]] . Hypothetic connection with the PN <b class="b3">Ἴσμαρος</b> and <b class="b3">Μάρων</b> in Kretschmer Glotta 29, 96 f. Lith. <b class="b2">merė́ti</b> [[care]], s. Fraenkel Gnomon 22, 237. -- [Not to <b class="b3">μάρτυς</b> s.v. or <b class="b3">μείρομαι</b>.]