κόμη

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Ancient Greek

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Etymology

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Not explained with certainty. The word may be taken as "well-tended hair", in opposition of θρίξ (thríx, hair), and connected with κομέω (koméō, to take care of, tend). Schwyzer considers it a back-formation from κομάω (komáō, to let the hair grow long), which could be a by-form of κομέω (koméō). However, since κομάω (komáō) is always connected with hair and is never used in a different sense of "to care", and growing long hair is likely considered the opposite of caring for it, the assumption is not very probable.[1] It has also been suggested as a Pre-Greek word with an element *ko- found in other branches of Indo-European and compared to Albanian qime (thread of hair). (Can this(+) etymology be sourced?)

The consonant choice in this word is also suggestive of a Semitic word, in Akkadian one has 𒋦 (qimmatum, tuft of hair; mane, plume; crown, crest), akin to Arabic قِمَّة (qimma, crown, peak), Amharic and Tigre ጋሜ (gamme, a kind of straight haircut, clean-shaven save for a circumferential strip at the nethermost part). (Can this(+) etymology be sourced?)

Pronunciation

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Noun

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κόμη (kómēf (genitive κόμης); first declension

  1. (collectively) hair of the head
    Synonym: πλόκᾰμος (plókamos)
  2. gill or branchia of the cuttlefish
  3. (botany) foliage of trees
  4. (astronomy) luminous tail of a comet

Declension

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Derived terms

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Descendants

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  • Latin: coma (see there for further descendants)

References

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  1. ^ Beekes, Robert S. P. (2010) “κόμη”, in Etymological Dictionary of Greek (Leiden Indo-European Etymological Dictionary Series; 10), with the assistance of Lucien van Beek, Leiden, Boston: Brill, →ISBN, page 743

Further reading

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