English
Procrustes
Procrustes comes from Ancient Greek Προκρούστης.
- Ancient Greekc. 800–300 BCEΠροκρούστηςProkroústēs
- EnglishtodayProcrustes
attested reconstructed ? uncertain or disputed
Lineage
- Ancient Greekc. 800–300 BCEΠροκρούστηςProkroústēs
- EnglishtodayProcrustes
A compound of πρό ‘before, in front of’ + προ- + κρούω ‘to strike, smite’ + προκρούω ‘to beat out’
Proto-Indo-European *per-
Proto-Indo-European *pér ‘through’
Proto-Indo-European *pró ‘forwards, before’
Ancient Greek πρό ‘before, in front of’
Proto-Indo-European *krows-
Ancient Greek κρούω ‘to strike, smite’
Proto-Indo-European *krows- ‘push, bump, strike, break’
Ancient Greek κρούω ‘strike’
Ancient Greek προκρούω ‘to beat out’
Every English word from Ancient Greek Προκρούστης
Today it means
name A celebrated legendary highwayman of Attica, who tied his victims upon an iron bed, and, as the case required, either stretched or cut off their legs to adapt them to its length.
Language periods are conventional ranges, not dates for this word.
Etymograph / Ancient Greek Προκρούστης / Procrustes