λίαν + βαίνω
Word
Validation
No
Word-form
λίβανος
Word-lemma
Transliteration (Word)
libanos
English translation (word)
frankincense, frankincense tree
Transliteration (Etymon)
lian + bainō
English translation (etymon)
much + to go
Century
9 AD
Source
idem
Ref.
Epimerismi in Psalmos, p. 137
Ed.
T. Gaisford, Georgii Choerobosci epimerismi in Psalmos, vol. 3, Oxford, 1842
Quotation
Λίβανος, παρὰ τὸ λίαν βαίνειν, ἢ παρὰ τὸ λείβω τὸ σπένδω
Translation (En)
Libanos "frankincense": from "to go" (bainein) much (lian), or from leibō "to make a libation"
Parallels
Etym. Gudianum, lambda, p. 369 (Λίβανος, παρὰ τὸ λείβω τὸ σπένδω, τὸ εἰς εὐχὰς καὶ σπονδὰς ἐπιτήδειον, παρὰ τὸ ἐκεῖ νεύειν τὸν λίβαν· ἢ παρὰ τὸ λίαν βαίνειν, ὑψηλὸν γὰρ τὸ ὄρος· ἔστι δὲ καὶ δένδρον); Etym. Magnum, Kallierges, p. 564 (Λίβανος: Παρὰ τὸ λίαν βαίνειν· ἢ παρὰ τὸ λείβω, τὸ στάζω ἢ σπένδω, ὁ λειβόμενος καὶ σπενδόμενος)
Modern etymology
Loanword from Semitic (Beekes, EDG)
Persistence in Modern Greek
MG still has λίβανος as the name of the tree, and λιβάνι (< λιβάνιον) as the name of the resin, the frankincense
Entry By
Le Feuvre
Comment
Compositional etymology, meant to account for the name of the tree, not for that of its product, the frankincense. This type of etymology referring to the growth of the plant is commonplace for plant names (see ἄνηθον / ἄνω + θέω, ἄνθος / ἄνω + θέω, ἄμπελος / ἀνά + πελάζω, λήϊον / λα- + εἶμι). This is a case of complementary etymology: the word has two meanings, and the etymology provided for meaning A (the tree) is different from the etymology provided for meaning B (the resin)