kybernáō

kybernáō κῠβερνᾰ́ω steuern

Etymology

• Beekes attributes it to a Mediterranean substrate, probably Pre-Greek.
• Neumann sees it as a denominal verb from κύρβεις (kyrbeis, “turnable wooden cylinders”),
  • from Proto-Indo-European *kʷerb- (“to turn”),
    • via a variant κύρβνα (kyrbna) formed with the tool morpheme -να- (-na-)
  • (compare Sanskrit नयति (náyati, “to lead, guide, govern”)),
    • whence through metathesis the verbal stem κυβερνα- (kuberna-).
• Compare Ancient Greek καρπός (karpós, “wrist”) and English whirl.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ky.ber.ná.ɔː/ → /cy.βerˈna.o/ → /ci.verˈna.o/

Verb

κῠβερνᾰ́ω • (kŭbernắō)

1. to steer, drive, pilot, to be a steersman
2. to guide, govern, direct