ἀρσενικόν

Ancient Greek

Pronunciation

 

• IPA^(key): /ar.se.ni.kón/ → /ar.se.niˈkon/ → /ar.se.niˈkon/

• (5^th BCE Attic) IPA^(key): /ar.se.ni.kón/
• (1^st CE Egyptian) IPA^(key): /ar.se.niˈkon/
• (4^th CE Koine) IPA^(key): /ar.se.niˈkon/
• (10^th CE Byzantine) IPA^(key): /ar.se.niˈkon/
• (15^th CE Constantinopolitan) IPA^(key): /ar.se.niˈkon/

Etymology 1

Of Semitic origin (compare Classical Syriac ܙܪܢܝܟܐ (zarnīḵā, “orpiment”)) under the strong influence of ἀρσενικός (arsenikós, “male, virile”), from Middle Persian *zarnīk, ultimately from Proto-Indo-European *ǵʰelh₃- (“yellow”). See arsenic for more cognates.

Alternative forms

• ἀρσενίκιον n (arseníkion), ἀρρενική f (arrhenikḗ)

Noun

ἀρσενῐκόν • (arsenĭkón) f (genitive ἀρσενῐκοῦ); first declension

1. (mineralogy) orpiment, yellow sulfide of arsenic
2. arsenic (chemical element 33) (later meaning, not attested up to the 5^th c. CE)

Usage notes

Only the meaning "orpiment, arsenic sulfide" is attested in classical sources; the later shift to "arsenic metal" is found in the period of late Koine Greek to early Byzantine Greek, when σανδαράχη (sandaráchi, “realgar (initially)”) begins referring to both realgar and orpiment (red and yellow arsenic sulfides).

Inflection

Second declension of τὸ ἀρσενῐκόν; τοῦ ἀρσενῐκοῦ (Attic)

Case / #	Singular	Dual	Plural
Nominative	τὸ ἀρσενῐκόν tò arsenĭkón	τὼ ἀρσενῐκώ tṑ arsenĭkṓ	τᾰ̀ ἀρσενῐκᾰ́ tằ arsenĭkắ
Genitive	τοῦ ἀρσενῐκοῦ toû arsenĭkoû	τοῖν ἀρσενῐκοῖν toîn arsenĭkoîn	τῶν ἀρσενῐκῶν tôn arsenĭkôn
Dative	τῷ ἀρσενῐκῷ tôi arsenĭkôi	τοῖν ἀρσενῐκοῖν toîn arsenĭkoîn	τοῖς ἀρσενῐκοῖς toîs arsenĭkoîs
Accusative	τὸ ἀρσενῐκόν tò arsenĭkón	τὼ ἀρσενῐκώ tṑ arsenĭkṓ	τᾰ̀ ἀρσενῐκᾰ́ tằ arsenĭkắ
Vocative	ἀρσενῐκόν arsenĭkón	ἀρσενῐκώ arsenĭkṓ	ἀρσενῐκᾰ́ arsenĭkắ
Notes:	This table gives Attic inflectional endings. For declension in other dialects, see Appendix:Ancient Greek dialectal declension.

Descendants

• Greek: αρσενικό (arsenikó)
• → Latin: arrenicum
• → Latin: arsenicum (see there for further descendants)

Further reading

• “ἀρσενικόν”, in Liddell & Scott (1940) A Greek–English Lexicon, Oxford: Clarendon Press
• Beekes, Robert S. P. (2010) Etymological Dictionary of Greek (Leiden Indo-European Etymological Dictionary Series; 10), with the assistance of Lucien van Beek, Leiden, Boston: Brill, →ISBN

Etymology 2

See the etymology of the corresponding lemma form.

Adjective

ἀρσενῐκόν • (arsenĭkón)

1. inflection of ἀρσενικός (arsenikós):
   1. masculine accusative singular
   2. neuter nominative/accusative/vocative singular