μῆκος + ἄνειν
Word
Validation
Yes
Word-form
μηχανή
Word-lemma
Transliteration (Word)
mēkhanē
English translation (word)
contrivance, crane
Transliteration (Etymon)
mēkos + anein
English translation (etymon)
length + to accomplish
Century
4 BC
Source
Idε´
Ref.
Cratylus 415a4-7
Ed.
J. Burnet, Platonis Opera, Oxford UP, 1903
Quotation
Translation (En)
Other translation(s)
Modern Greek: γιατί η λέξη μηχανή μου φαίνεται ότι σηματοδοτεί το 'καταφέρνω κάτι σε μεγάλο βαθμό'· εφόσον το "μήκος" σημαίνει κατά κάποιον τρόπο 'πολύ', η λέξη μηχανή συναποτελείται από τις δύο λέξεις, το "καταφέρνω" (ἄνειν) και το "μήκος"
Modern etymology
The Greek form μᾱχανᾱ́ is usually connected with Germanic *magh- (Engl. may, Germ. mögen) and Slavic mog- (Rus. mogu "I can"), but problems remain (Beekes, EDG)
Persistence in Modern Greek
"Μηχανή" is still used in Modern Greek with the meanings: a) 'instrument', b) 'machine', c) 'motorbike', d) 'mechanism', e) 'trick'. It is also used as a second component in words such as "γραφομηχανή", "ραπτομηχανή", etc. (Triandafyllidis, Dict. of MG)
Entry By
Maria Chriti
Comment
The word is analyzed as a compound mēkh- + -anē. The two elements are reduced to two words which have the same initial sounds. Plato himself underlines the approximate character of the semantic relationship ("about the same meaning as")