γάιδαρος

Greek

Alternative forms

More than 40 dialectal/regional variations of root γ-δ-ρ found.

γάδαρος m (gádaros) (dialectal modern, also Hellenistic and Medieval)
γαΐδαρος m (gaḯdaros) (dated, also Medieval)
γαϊδούρι n (gaïdoúri) (frequent variant)
Also, see Synonyms for more dialectal words

Etymology

From Hellenistic Koine Greek γάδαρος (gádaros) of 2nd century CE.^[1] Medieval γάιδαρος (gáidaros)/γάδαρος (gádaros)/γαΐδαρος (gaḯdaros)^[2] or γαϊδάριον (gaïdárion)^[3]
Origin theories:

Uncertain, obscure: from Arabic غَيْذَار (ḡayḏār) with proposed meaning “harshness, oppression”.^[4]
Based on the form γαύδαρος (gávdaros), the same word as Arabic كَوْدَن (kawdan, “beast of burden, particularly a mule or hinny”),^[5] which see for more, a word then also present in Khotanese [script needed] (khaḍara, “mule”),^[6] alleged source of Turkish katır (“mule”), Kazakh қашыр (qaşyr, “mule”) etc.
Or from Hindi ghádar, gadarō or gadaró meaning “gypsy”.^[7]
Not from γαϊδούρι (gaïdoúri) < (καρ)γαδούρι ((kar)gadoúri) from cargatore (literally “carrier”) from cargar (“to load onto oneself”)^[8]
Not from the Ancient Greek γάδος (gádos, “cod”), common name: γαϊδουρόψαρο (gaïdourópsaro).

Pronunciation

IPA^(key): /ˈɣai̯.ða.ɾos/
Audio: (file)
Hyphenation: γάι‧δα‧ρος

Noun

γάιδαρος • (gáidaros) m (plural γάιδαροι, feminine γαϊδούρα or γαϊδάρα)

donkey, ass, Equus asinus
(colloquial, derogatory, figuratively) lout, boor, ass, jackass, pig, jerk (an uncultred, ill-bred man)
Τι γάιδαρος ήταν ο αδελφός της, που δεν μας είπε ούτε ένα «γεια»!
Ti gáidaros ítan o adelfós tis, pou den mas eípe oúte éna «geia»!
What a boor her brother was, he didn't even say "hi" to us!

Declension

Declension of **γάιδαρος**
	singular	plural
nominative	γάιδαρος (gáidaros)	γάιδαροι (gáidaroi)
genitive	γαϊδάρου (gaïdárou)	γαϊδάρων (gaïdáron)
accusative	γάιδαρο (gáidaro)	γαϊδάρους (gaïdárous)
vocative	γάιδαρε (gáidare)	γάιδαροι (gáidaroi)

Synonyms

ἀείδαρος m (aeídaros) (Medieval, by false etymology)^[9]
όνος m (ónos) (formal, archaic)
dialectal/regional:
- γομάρι n (gomári) colloquial, regional, from Ancient Greek γόμος (gómos) (14 variations) (see also حِمَار (ḥimār))
- γάνταρος (15 variations), γάζος (7 variations), γκάφαλος, γκανέτσος
- γάρος (in Cyprus)
- with root βαστ- from βαστώ (vastó, “I hold, carry”): βασταγός 9 variations at the Peloponnese
- ασίνο from Latin asinus
- μερκέπι from Turkish merkep
- φορτύκι: φορτ- root from φέρω (féro) (I bear, carry), 4 variations in Corfu island.
(jocular) κυρ- (kyr-)Μέντιος (Méntios) from Μενδαῖος ὄνος, of the city Μένδη (Méndē)
see also Alternatives

Derived terms

From γαϊδαρ-

γαϊδάρα f (gaïdára, “she-ass”)
γαϊδαράκος m (gaïdarákos, diminutive)

From γαϊδουρ-

γαϊδούρα f (gaïdoúra)
γαϊδουράγκαθο n (gaïdourágkatho, “Scotch thistle”)
γαϊδουράκι n (gaïdouráki, diminutive)
γαϊδουράκος m (gaïdourákos, diminutive)
γαϊδουριά f (gaïdouriá, “rudeness, discourtesy”)
γαϊδουρινός (gaïdourinós, “loutish”)
γαϊδουρίσιος (gaïdourísios, adjective)
γαϊδουρόβηχας m (gaïdouróvichas, “extreme coughing”)
γαϊδουρογάιδαρος m (gaïdourogáidaros, superlative sense)
γαϊδουρογυρεύω (gaïdourogyrévo, “to donkey-search”, literally “search in vain”) (in proverbs)
γαϊδουροδένω (gaïdourodéno, “to tie a donkey”) (in proverbs)
γαϊδουροκαβαλαρία f (gaïdourokavalaría, “donkey cavalry”)
γαϊδουροκαλόκαιρο n (gaïdourokalókairo, “at the summer's hottest”)
γαϊδουρολάτης m (gaïdourolátis, “donkey guide”)
γαϊδουρομούλαρο n (gaïdouromoúlaro, “mule with donkey mother, horse father”)
γαϊδουροτόμαρο n (gaïdourotómaro, “donkey skin”)
γαϊδουρότριχα f (gaïdourótricha, “hair of donkey”)
γαϊδουροφωνάρα f (gaïdourofonára, “extremely loud voice”)
γαϊδουρόψαρο n (gaïdourópsaro, “cod”) (colloquial)

Expressions with both γάιδαρος or γαϊδούρι

γάιδαρος/γαϊδούρι ξεκαπίστρωτο (xekapístroto)
γάιδαρος/γαϊδούρι ξεσαμάρωτο (xesamároto)

Expressions with γάιδαρος

γάιδαρος με περικεφαλαία (gáidaros me perikefalaía)
δένω τον γάιδαρό μου (déno ton gáidaró mou, “to consolidate one's position”) (literally: "to tie one's donkey")
κατά φωνή κι ο γάιδαρος (katá foní ki o gáidaros, “talk of the devil”) (literally: "by voice, here's the donkey")
σκάω γάιδαρο (skáo gáidaro, “to try someone's patience, to drive someone mad”) (literally: "to burst a donkey")

Expressions with γαϊδουρ-

γαϊδουρινή, υπομονή (ypomoní)
κάλλιο γαϊδουρόδενε παρά γαϊδουρογύρευε (kállio gaïdouródene pará gaïdourogýreve, “a stitch in time saves nine”) (literally: "better to tie your donkey up than to be looking for it")
Κυπραίικο γαϊδούρι n (Kypraíiko gaïdoúri)
μακριά γαϊδούρα f (makriá gaïdoúra)
πετάει ο γάιδαρος; (petáei o gáidaros?)

Proverbs with γάιδαρος

δυο γάιδαροι μαλώνανε σε ξένον αχυρώνα (dyo gáidaroi malónane se xénon achyróna) (literally: "two donkeys were fighting in a stranger's barn", about people who quarrel over things they do not own)
είπε ο γάιδαρος τον πετεινό κεφάλα (eípe o gáidaros ton peteinó kefála, “the pot calling the kettle black”) (literally: "the donkey called the rooster big-headed")
ήταν στραβό το κλήμα, τό ’φαγε κι ο γάιδαρος (ítan stravó to klíma, tó ’fage ki o gáidaros, “the final nail in the coffin”) (literally: "the vine was crooked, then the donkey ate it")
κάποιου του χαρίζανε γάιδαρο κι αυτός τον κοίταζε στα δόντια (kápoiou tou charízane gáidaro ki aftós ton koítaze sta dóntia, “Don't look a gift horse in the mouth”) (literally: "they were gifting someone a donkey and he/she was looking at its teeth", about nitpickers)
μαντζουράνα στο κατώφλι, γάιδαρος στα κεραμίδια (mantzourána sto katófli, gáidaros sta keramídia) (literally: "marjoram on the doorstep and donkey on the roof tiles", about illogical things)
παλιός γάιδαρος καινούρια περπατησιά δε μαθαίνει (paliós gáidaros kainoúria perpatisiá de mathaínei, “you can't teach an old dog new tricks”) (literally: "an old donkey doesn't learn a new way of walking")
(σιγά) μη στάξει η ουρά του γαϊδάρου (mi stáxei i ourá tou gaïdárou) (about people who pay attention to lesser details when there are more important things to care about) (literally: "don't make water drip off the donkey's tail")
φάγαμε τον γάιδαρο, στην ουρά θα σταματήσουμε; (fágame ton gáidaro, stin ourá tha stamatísoume?) (literally: "we've eaten the donkey, are we going to stop at the tail?", about situations in which the better part of the evil has been done and stopping would be illogical)

Related terms

γκαρίζω (gkarízo, “bray”)
μουλάρι n (moulári, “mule”)
άλογο n (álogo, “horse”)

References

^ γάδαρος in the Diccionario Griego–Español en línea (2006–2018)
^ γάιδαρος - Kriaras, Emmanuel (1969-) Επιτομή του Λεξικού της Μεσαιωνικής Ελληνικής Δημώδους Γραμματείας (Epitomí tou Lexikoú tis Mesaionikís Ellinikís Dimódous Grammateías) [Concise Dictionary of the Kriaras' Dictionary of Medieval Vulgar Greek Literature (1100–1669) Vols. 1–14. Vols 15- under I. Kazazes.)] (in Greek), Thessaloniki: Centre for the Greek language Online edition (abbreviations) Printed edition 2022: 22 vols.)
^ γαϊδάριον is found:
* at Liddell-Scott and DGE at LOGEION.
* It is mentioned at many dictionaries of Modern Greek (Institute Triantafyllidis, Babiniotis).
^ Arabic origin from ga(i)dar, mentioned in:
*γάιδαρος, in Λεξικό της κοινής νεοελληνικής [Dictionary of Standard Modern Greek], Triantafyllidis Foundation, 1998 at the Centre for the Greek language
* γάιδαρος - Babiniotis, Georgios (2002) Λεξικό της νέας ελληνικής γλώσσας: […] [Dictionary of Modern Greek (language)] (in Greek), 2nd edition, Athens: Kentro Lexikologias [Lexicology Centre], 1st edition 1998, →ISBN.
* Liddell-Scott at LOGEION
^ Lagarde, Paul de (1866) Gesammelte Abhandlungen (in German), Leipzig: F. A. Brockhaus, pages 54–55 Nr. 142
^ Bailey, H. W. (1979) Dictionary of Khotan Saka, Cambridge, London, New York, Melbourne: Cambridge University press, pages 70b–71a
^ Hindi origin meaning “gypsy” mentioned at γάιδαρος - Kriaras, Emmanuel (1969-) Επιτομή του Λεξικού της Μεσαιωνικής Ελληνικής Δημώδους Γραμματείας (Epitomí tou Lexikoú tis Mesaionikís Ellinikís Dimódous Grammateías) [Concise Dictionary of the Kriaras' Dictionary of Medieval Vulgar Greek Literature (1100–1669) Vols. 1–14. Vols 15- under I. Kazazes.)] (in Greek), Thessaloniki: Centre for the Greek language Online edition (abbreviations) Printed edition 2022: 22 vols.).
His source: Karapatosoglou, Kostas (1984)Κυπριακά έτυμα [Cypriot etyma]
^ γάιδαρος at en.academic.com retr:2018.08.03.
^ αείδαρος - Kriaras, Emmanuel (1969-) Επιτομή του Λεξικού της Μεσαιωνικής Ελληνικής Δημώδους Γραμματείας (Epitomí tou Lexikoú tis Mesaionikís Ellinikís Dimódous Grammateías) [Concise Dictionary of the Kriaras' Dictionary of Medieval Vulgar Greek Literature (1100–1669) Vols. 1–14. Vols 15- under I. Kazazes.)] (in Greek), Thessaloniki: Centre for the Greek language Online edition (abbreviations) Printed edition 2022: 22 vols.)