δείκνυμι
Word
Validation
No
Word-form
δεξιά
Word-lemma
Etymon-lemma
Transliteration (Word)
dexios
English translation (word)
on the right hand
Transliteration (Etymon)
deiknumi
English translation (etymon)
to show
Century
11 AD
Source
idem
Ref.
Etym. Gudianum, delta, p. 345
Ed.
E.L. de Stefani, Etymologicum Gudianum, fasc. 1 & 2, Leipzig: Teubner, 1:1909; 2:1920 (repr. Amsterdam: Hakkert, 1965)
Quotation
Δεξιά <Jo. Damasc. Can. iamb. 2, 5>· παρὰ τὸ δεῖξιν αὐτὴν εἶναι· δι’ αὐτῆς γὰρ δεικνύομεν τὰ ζητούμενα. ἢ παρὰ τὸ δέχω δεχιά καὶ δεξιά, ἡ πρὸς τὸ δέχεσθαι ἐπιτήδειος οὖσα
Translation (En)
Dexia "the right hand": from the fact it is the showing one (deixis), for thanks to it we show what people are looking for. Or from dekhō "to receive", *dekhia and dexia, the one fit for receiving
Parallels
There is no parallel
Modern etymology
Δεξιός is the old inherited adjective meaning "on the right hand", from *deksi-wó-, with cognates in most IE languages. It is indeed derived from *dek̑- "to receive" (Beekes, EDG)
Persistence in Modern Greek
Yes
Entry By
Le Feuvre
Comment
Derivational functional etymology. The right hand's function is to show something. The etymology starts from the future form δείξω (which is not explicit) and then a formal change is requires, the loss of the /I/