ῥίζα

English (LSJ)

ης, ἡ: Ion. nom.

   A ῥίζη Hp. ap. Erot., acc. ῥίζην Marc.Sid.89 (before a vowel), but ῥίζαν Il.11.846 (whence Ion. nom. ῥίζα may be inferred):—root, Od.10.304, 23.196, etc.; used as a medicine, Il.11.846; ῥ. ἐλατήριος, of a purgative medicine, Hp.Epid.5.34: mostly in pl., roots, Il.12.134, Od.12.435, etc.; δένδρεα μακρὰ αὐτῇσιν ῥίζησι Il.9.542: hence    2 metaph., roots of the eye, Od.9.390 (but ῥίζας ἐν ὄσσοις αἱματῶπας in E.HF933 prob. bloodshot streaks); the roots or foundations of the earth, Hes.Op.19; χθόνα . . αὐταῖς ῥ. πνεῦμα κραδαίνοι A.Pr.1047 (anap.); ἰπούμενος ῥίζαισιν Αἰτναίαις ὕπο ib.367; of feathers, hair, etc., Pl.Phdr.251b, Arist.HA518b14; of the teeth, Id.GA789a13; γαστρὸς ῥ. ὀμφαλός Id.HA493a18, etc.    3 τὸν πόλεμον ἐκ ῥιζῶν ἀνῄρηκε 'root and branch', Plu.Pomp.21, cf. Heraclid. Pont. ap. Ath.12.523f; ἐκ ῥιζῶν ἀπώλεσεν LXX Jb.31.12; cf. ῥιζόθεν, πρόρριζος.    II that from which anything springs as from a root, ῥίζαν ἀπείρου τρίταν a third continental foundation, of Libya, Pi.P.9.8; ἀστέων ῥ., of Cyrene, as the root or original of the Cyrenaic Pentapolis, ib.4.15; root or stock from which a family springs, ῥ. σπέρματος Id.O.2.46, cf. I.8(7).61, A.Ag.966, S.Aj.1178, etc.; so, race, family, A.Th.755 (lyr.), E.IT610, OGI383.31 (Nemrud Dagh, i B.C.), etc.; συκοφάντου . . σπέρμα καὶ ῥ. D.25.48; sect, party, Jul. Gal.106e; also ῥ. κακῶν E.Fr.912.11 (anap.); ἀρχὴ καὶ ῥ. παντὸς ἀγαθοῦ Epicur.Fr.409, cf. 1 Ep.Ti.6.10; πηγὴ καὶ ῥ. καλοκἀγαθίας Plu. 2.4c; ἀρχαὶ καὶ ῥ. γῆς καὶ θαλάττης Arist.Mete.353b1, etc.; cf. ῥίζωμα 11.    2 base, foundation, ῥ. πάντων καὶ βάσις ἁ γᾶ ἐρήρεισται Ti. Locr.97e, cf. Pl.Ti.81c; base of a vertical pillar, Procl.Hyp.3.23; τῶν λόφων Onos.10.6.    3 Math., root or base of a series, Anatolius ap.Theol.Ar.9. (Aeol. βρίζα (q.v.): cf. Goth. waúrts, Lat. radix.)