Etymologicum Magnum (standard abbreviation EM) is the traditional title of a Greek lexical encyclopedia compiled at Constantinople

Constantinople

Constantinople was the capital of the Roman, Eastern Roman, Byzantine, Latin, and Ottoman Empires. Throughout most of the Middle Ages, Constantinople was Europe's largest and wealthiest city.-Names:...

 by an unknown lexicographer around 1150 AD. It is the largest Byzantine lexicon and draws on many earlier grammatical, lexical and rhetorical works. Its main sources were two previous etymologica, the so-called Etymologicum Genuinum

Etymologicum Genuinum

The Etymologicum Genuinum is the conventional modern title given to a lexical encyclopedia compiled at Constantinople in the mid ninth century. The anonymous compilator drew on the works of numerous earlier lexicographers and scholiasts, both ancient and recent, including Herodian, George...

and the Etymologicum Gudianum. Other sources include Stephanus of Byzantium

Stephanus of Byzantium

Stephen of Byzantium, also known as Stephanus Byzantinus , was the author of an important geographical dictionary entitled Ethnica...

, the Epitome of Diogenianus

Diogenianus

Diogenianus was a Greek grammarian from Heraclea in Pontus who flourished during the reign of Hadrian. He was the author of an alphabetical lexicon, chiefly of poetical words, abridged from the great lexicon of Pamphilus of Alexandria and other similar works. It was also known by the title...

, the so-called Lexicon Αἱμωδεῖν, Eulogius’ Ἀπορίαι καὶ λύσεις, George Choeroboscus

Georgius Choeroboscus

Georgius Choeroboscus , deacon and professor at the ecumenical school at Constantinople.He is also called chartophylax either as the holder of some ecclesiastical office or as superintendent of the university library. It is not known whether Choeroboscus is an allusion to his earlier occupation or...

’ Epimerismi ad Psalmos, the Etymologicon of Orion of Thebes

Orion of Thebes

Orion of Thebes was a 5th century grammarian of Thebes , the teacher of Proclus the neo-Platonist, and of Eudocia, the wife of Emperor Theodosius II. He taught at Alexandria, Caesarea in Cappadocia and Byzantium. He was the author of a partly extant etymological Lexicon Orion of Thebes (died ca....

, and collections of scholia. The compilator of the Etymologicum Magnum was not a mere copyist; rather he amalgamated, reorganised, augmented and freely modified his source material to create a new and individual work.

The editio princeps of the Etymologicum Magnum was published by Zacharias Kallierges (Venice 1499). The most recent complete edition is by Thomas Gaisford

Thomas Gaisford

Thomas Gaisford was an English classical scholar.He was born at Iford Manor, Wiltshire, and entered the University of Oxford in 1797, becoming successively student and tutor of Christ Church. In 1811, he was appointed Regius Professor of Greek in the University...

 (Oxford 1848). A new (uncompleted) edition is in preparation by F. Lasserre and N. Livadaras (under the title Etymologicum Magnum Auctum).

External links

• ΜΕΓΑ ΕΤΥΜΟΛΟΓΙΚΟΝ (Specimen glosses in the monotonic system)