At the roots of nominal derivation: Greek πρυμνός ‘at the base’ and καρπός ‘root of the hand’

The adjective πρυμνός ‘at the root/base’ has no commonly accepted etymology, but its syntax, semantics and pattern of attestation are suggestive of an archaism. After reviewing the problems with existing analyses, I submit that it reflects *kwr̥p-mn-ó- derived from the Indo-European root *kwrep- (Greek πρέπω ‘to be conspicuous’, Arm. erewim ‘to appear’), for which I propose to reconstruct a proto-meaning ‘to protrude’. Moreover, I argue that πρέμνον ‘stump, base’ is related to πρυμνός, reflecting *kwrép-mn-o-m. In section 1, I discuss the syntax and semantics of πρυμνός in Homer. Then follows a review of the problems with existing etymological interpretations (section 2) and a discussion of the phonological and semantic issues raised by the proposed reconstructions of πρυμνός and πρέμνον (section 3). Finally, in section 4 it is proposed that καρπός ‘wrist’ < *kwr̥p-ó- also derives from the same root.