γάιδαρος

Greek

Alternative forms

More than 40 dialectal/regional variations of root γ-δ-ρ found.

• γάδαρος m (gádaros) (dialectal modern, also Hellenistic and Medieval)
• γαΐδαρος m (gaḯdaros) (dated, also Medieval)
• γαϊδούρι n (gaïdoúri) (frequent variant)
• Also, see Synonyms for more dialectal words

Etymology

From Hellenistic Koine Greek γάδαρος (gádaros) of 2nd century CE. Medieval γάιδαρος (gáidaros)/γάδαρος (gádaros)/γαΐδαρος (gaḯdaros) or γαϊδάριον (gaïdárion)
Origin theories:

• Uncertain, obscure: from Arabic غَيْذَار (ḡayḏār) with proposed meaning “harshness, oppression”.
• Based on the form γαύδαρος (gávdaros), the same word as Arabic كَوْدَن (kawdan, “beast of burden, particularly a mule or hinny”), which see for more, a word then also present in Khotanese [script needed] (khaḍara, “mule”), alleged source of Turkish katır (“mule”), Kazakh қашыр (qaşyr, “mule”) etc.
• Or from Hindi ghádar, gadarō or gadaró meaning “gypsy”.
• Not from γαϊδούρι (gaïdoúri) < (καρ)γαδούρι ((kar)gadoúri) from cargatore (literally “carrier”) from cargar (“to load onto oneself”)
• Not from the Ancient Greek γάδος (gádos, “cod”), common name: γαϊδουρόψαρο (gaïdourópsaro).

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ˈɣai̯.ða.ɾos/

• Audio:

  (file)

• Hyphenation: γάι‧δα‧ρος

Noun

γάιδαρος • (gáidaros) m (plural γάιδαροι, feminine γαϊδούρα or γαϊδάρα)

1. donkey, ass, Equus asinus
2. (colloquial, derogatory, figuratively) lout, boor, ass, jackass, pig, jerk (an uncultred, ill-bred man)

   Τι γάιδαρος ήταν ο αδελφός της, που δεν μας είπε ούτε ένα «γεια»!

   Ti gáidaros ítan o adelfós tis, pou den mas eípe oúte éna «geia»!

   What a boor her brother was, he didn't even say "hi" to us!

Declension

Declension of γάιδαρος

	singular	plural
nominative	γάιδαρος •	γάιδαροι •
genitive	γαϊδάρου •	γαϊδάρων •
accusative	γάιδαρο •	γαϊδάρους •
vocative	γάιδαρε •	γάιδαροι •

Synonyms

• ἀείδαρος m (aeídaros) (Medieval, by false etymology)
• όνος m (ónos) (formal, archaic)
• dialectal/regional:
  • γομάρι n (gomári) colloquial, regional, from Ancient Greek γόμος (gómos) (14 variations) (see also حِمَار (ḥimār))
  • γάνταρος (15 variations), γάζος (7 variations), γκάφαλος, γκανέτσος
  • γάρος (in Cyprus)
  • with root βαστ- from βαστώ (vastó, “I hold, carry”): βασταγός 9 variations at the Peloponnese
  • ασίνο from Latin asinus
  • μερκέπι from Turkish merkep
  • φορτύκι: φορτ- root from φέρω (féro) (I bear, carry), 4 variations in Corfu island.
• (jocular) κυρ- (kyr-)Μέντιος (Méntios) from Μενδαῖος ὄνος, of the city Μένδη (Méndē)
• see also Alternatives

Derived terms

From γαϊδαρ-

• γαϊδάρα f (gaïdára, “she-ass”)
• γαϊδαράκος m (gaïdarákos, diminutive)

 

From γαϊδουρ-

• γαϊδούρα f (gaïdoúra)
• γαϊδουράγκαθο n (gaïdourágkatho, “Scotch thistle”)
• γαϊδουράκι n (gaïdouráki, diminutive)
• γαϊδουράκος m (gaïdourákos, diminutive)
• γαϊδουριά f (gaïdouriá, “rudeness, discourtesy”)
• γαϊδουρινός (gaïdourinós, “loutish”)
• γαϊδουρίσιος (gaïdourísios, adjective)
• γαϊδουρόβηχας m (gaïdouróvichas, “extreme coughing”)
• γαϊδουρογάιδαρος m (gaïdourogáidaros, superlative sense)
• γαϊδουρογυρεύω (gaïdourogyrévo, “to donkey-search”, literally “search in vain”) (in proverbs)
• γαϊδουροδένω (gaïdourodéno, “to tie a donkey”) (in proverbs)
• γαϊδουροκαβαλαρία f (gaïdourokavalaría, “donkey cavalry”)
• γαϊδουροκαλόκαιρο n (gaïdourokalókairo, “at the summer's hottest”)
• γαϊδουρολάτης m (gaïdourolátis, “donkey guide”)
• γαϊδουρομούλαρο n (gaïdouromoúlaro, “mule with donkey mother, horse father”)
• γαϊδουροτόμαρο n (gaïdourotómaro, “donkey skin”)
• γαϊδουρότριχα f (gaïdourótricha, “hair of donkey”)
• γαϊδουροφωνάρα f (gaïdourofonára, “extremely loud voice”)
• γαϊδουρόψαρο n (gaïdourópsaro, “cod”) (colloquial)

 

Expressions with both γάιδαρος or γαϊδούρι

• γάιδαρος/γαϊδούρι ξεκαπίστρωτο (xekapístroto)
• γάιδαρος/γαϊδούρι ξεσαμάρωτο (xesamároto)

Expressions with γάιδαρος

Derived terms

• γάιδαρος με περικεφαλαία (gáidaros me perikefalaía)
• δένω τον γάιδαρό μου (déno ton gáidaró mou, “to consolidate one's position”) (literally: "to tie one's donkey")
• κατά φωνή κι ο γάιδαρος (katá foní ki o gáidaros, “talk of the devil”) (literally: "by voice, here's the donkey")
• σκάω γάιδαρο (skáo gáidaro, “to try someone's patience, to drive someone mad”) (literally: "to burst a donkey")

Expressions with γαϊδουρ-

Derived terms

• γαϊδουρινή υπομονή (ypomoní)
• κάλλιο γαϊδουρόδενε παρά γαϊδουρογύρευε (kállio gaïdouródene pará gaïdourogýreve, “a stitch in time saves nine”) (literally: "better to tie your donkey up than to be looking for it")
• Κυπραίικο γαϊδούρι n (Kypraíiko gaïdoúri)
• μακριά γαϊδούρα f (makriá gaïdoúra)
• πετάει ο γάιδαρος; (petáei o gáidaros?)

Proverbs with γάιδαρος

Derived terms

• δυο γάιδαροι μαλώνανε σε ξένον αχυρώνα (dyo gáidaroi malónane se xénon achyróna) (about people who quarrel over things they do not own) (literally: "two donkeys were fighting in a stranger's barn")
• είπε ο γάιδαρος τον πετεινό κεφάλα (eípe o gáidaros ton peteinó kefála, “the pot calling the kettle black”) (literally: "the donkey called the rooster big-headed")
• ήταν στραβό το κλήμα, τό 'φαγε κι ο γάιδαρος (ítan stravó to klíma, tó 'fage ki o gáidaros, “the final nail in the coffin”) (literally: "the vine was crooked, then the donkey ate it")
• κάποιου του χαρίζανε γάιδαρο κι αυτός τον κοίταζε στα δόντια (kápoiou tou charízane gáidaro ki aftós ton koítaze sta dóntia, “Don't look a gift horse in the mouth”) (about nitpickers) (literally: "they were gifting someone a donkey and he/she was looking at its teeth")
• μαντζουράνα στο κατώφλι, γάιδαρος στα κεραμίδια (mantzourána sto katófli, gáidaros sta keramídia) (about illogical things) (literally: "marjoram on the doorstep and donkey on the roof tiles")
• (σιγά) μη στάξει η ουρά του γαϊδάρου (mi stáxei i ourá tou gaïdárou) (about people who pay attention to lesser details when there are more important things to care about) (literally: "don't make water drip off the donkey's tail")
• παλιός γάιδαρος καινούρια περπατησιά δε μαθαίνει (paliós gáidaros kainoúria perpatisiá de mathaínei, “you can't teach an old dog new tricks”) (literally: "an old donkey doesn't learn a new way of walking")
• φάγαμε τον γάιδαρο, στην ουρά θα σταματήσουμε; (fágame ton gáidaro, stin ourá tha stamatísoume?) (about situations in which the better part of the evil has been done and stopping would be illogical) (literally: "we've eaten the donkey, are we going to stop at the tail?")

Related terms

• γκαρίζω (gkarízo, “bray”)
• μουλάρι n (moulári, “mule”)
• άλογο n (álogo, “horse”)

Further reading

• γάιδαρος on the Greek Wikipedia.Wikipedia ^el