- μέρμερος
- μέρμεροςGrammatical information: adj.Meaning: Conventional epithet of unclear meaning (after H. μέρμερα = χαλεπά, δεινά, φροντίδος ἄξια); apparently intensive formation with reduplication, which suggests connection with μέρ-ιμνα(?). So prop. meaning `causing meditation, cares', from where `distressful, dreadful' v. t.(?), of persons `(much) meditating, caring'; also as PN (Apollod., Paus.).Other forms: (Hom., only Il.) always n. pl. μέρμερα as epithet of ἔργα, also as object of ῥέζειν, μητίσασθαι, posthom. of κακόν, βλάβη etc. (E., Lyc., Nic.), also of persons and animals (Pl. Hp. Ma., Plu., Opp.); enlarged. μερ-μέριος (Them.).Derivatives: Besides μέρμηραι f. pl. `cares, anxieties' (Hes. Th. 55, Thgn. 1325, also IG 14, 1942 [late verse]), μερμηρίζω, -ίξαι, -ίξω `care, meditate, invent, consider, linger' (Hom.; cf. Ruijgh L'élém. ach. 87); also μερμαίρω (Suid., H., Phot. [codd. also -μέρω]); on ἀπο-μερμηρίσαι `forget the cares' (Ar. V. 5, D. C.) s. Ruijgh ibd.Origin: PG [a word of Pre-Greek origin]Etymology: The length of the vowel in μέρ-μηρ-αι againt μέρ-μερ-ος has been explained from μερμηρίζω, where it is ascribed to the metre, but this is no sufficient explanation; rather it points to Pre-Greek origin; on ε\/η s. Fur. 257 n. 42. -- Under μέριμνα we pointed to the primary thematic root-verb Skt. smárati, Av. maraiti `remember' (reduplicated hi-šmar-); further there is, with broken reduplication, Arm. mormok' `regret, displeausre, sorrow, grief' and the also reduplicated Lat. me-mor `mindful', to which prob. also mora `delay'. Further, partly doubtful cognates from Germ. a. Celt., for Greek unimportant, in WP. 2, 689f., Pok. 969f., W.-Hofmann s. memor . Hypothetic connection with the PN Ἴσμαρος and Μάρων in Kretschmer Glotta 29, 96 f. Lith. merė́ti `care', s. Fraenkel Gnomon 22, 237. -- [Not to μάρτυς s.v. or μείρομαι.]Page in Frisk: 2,210-211
Greek-English etymological dictionary (Ελληνικά-Αγγλικά ετυμολογική λεξικό). Robert S.P.. 2010.