- ἐπίορκος
- ἐπίορκος, -ονOrigin: GR [a formation built with Greek elements]Etymology: As the verb ἐπιορκέω `braek an oath' is frwquent, it is obvious, to consider with Strömberg Prefix Studies 86ff. much rarer ἐπίορκος `braeking the oath' as a backformation from the verb. ἐπιορκέω comes directly from ὅρκος with ἐπι- like ἐπιθυμέω from θυμός, ἐπιχειρέω from χείρ etc.; ἐπιορκέω then is prop. `acte against the oeath' (opposie εὑορκέω `keep the oath' from εὔορκος [since Hes.]); on the maintenance of the -ι- Fraenkel Nom. ag. 1, 237. - Diff. Leumann Hom. Wörter 79ff. (with discussion): the expression ἐπίορκον ὀμόσσαι `perjure oneself' (from where ἐπιορκέω) would be due to a false analysis of ep. ἐπὶ ὅρκον ὀμόσσαι `make an oathe on it'; against this view W. Luther Weltansicht und Geistesleben (Göttingen 1954) 86ff. with another explanation; s. alsi Fraenkel Gnomon 23, 373 and Bolling AmJPh 76, 306ff., who with Schwyzer IF 45, 255 start from (ὁ) ἐπὶ ὅρκῳ (βάς). Leumann 88 too is inclined to see ἐπίορκος as a backformation from ἐπιορκέω.See also: s. ὅρκοςPage in Frisk: 1,538-539
Greek-English etymological dictionary (Ελληνικά-Αγγλικά ετυμολογική λεξικό). Robert S.P.. 2010.