ΕΚΤΡΩΣΙΣ

Definition

According to the Liddell-Scott-Jones Lexicon, ἔκτρωσις (a feminine noun) primarily means “miscarriage, premature birth, abortion.” The word derives from the verb ἐκτιτρώσκω, which signifies “to cause a miscarriage, to give birth prematurely.” The concept of ektrosis in ancient Greece was not monolithic; it encompassed both spontaneous miscarriage and induced abortion.

The medical use of the word is evident in the works of Hippocrates and Galen, where methods of inducing or managing abortion are described. The ethical dimension of ἔκτρωσις preoccupied philosophers such as Plato and Aristotle, who examined it within the context of population control and the quality of citizens. The word implies an action that brings something “out” (ἐκ-) in a violent or premature manner, connecting it to the idea of “wounding” or “harm” inherent in its root.

In a broader context, ἔκτρωσις can also refer to something that “fails to develop” or is “produced defectively,” akin to an “abortion” or “monstrosity” (ἔκτρωμα). This extended meaning broadens the word's scope beyond purely medical terminology, highlighting the notion of incomplete or problematic development.

Main Meanings

1. Premature birth, miscarriage — The natural expulsion of a fetus before its full development. This is the primary and most common medical meaning of the word in ancient Greek literature.
2. Induced abortion, termination of pregnancy — The deliberate causation of miscarriage, often using drugs (φθόρια) or other methods. This practice was known and discussed by physicians and philosophers.
3. The product of miscarriage, monstrosity — Refers to the expelled fetus or product of conception itself, considered incomplete or non-viable. The word «ἔκτρωμα» is often used interchangeably.
4. Failure of development, defective product — Metaphorical use for anything that does not fully develop or is produced with defects, something that is “failed” or “incomplete.”
5. Destruction, decay — In certain contexts, the word can imply a more general sense of destruction or decay, especially when something is violently removed from its normal course.
6. Removal, expulsion — The notion of “exit” or “removal” inherent in the prefix ἐκ- can be extended to more general acts of expulsion or rejection from a group.

Word Family

trow- / trau- (root of the verb titrōskō, meaning “to wound”)

The root trow- / trau- forms the basis of a significant family of words in Ancient Greek, all revolving around the concept of “wounding,” “injury,” or “harm.” From this root arise both verbs describing the action of wounding and nouns denoting the result or state. The addition of prefixes enriches the meaning, describing different forms of harm or the direction of the action. The root itself is Ancient Greek and belongs to the oldest stratum of the language.

In Ancient Texts

Ektrosis engaged both medical and philosophical thought in antiquity, as shown in the following characteristic passages:

The 18 Methods

Applying the 18 traditional lexarithmic methods to the word ΕΚΤΡΩΣΙΣ:

Sources & Bibliography

• Liddell, H. G., Scott, R., Jones, H. S. — A Greek-English Lexicon, 9th edition, Oxford: Clarendon Press, 1940.
• Ιπποκράτης — Όρκος, στο Corpus Hippocraticum.
• Αριστοτέλης — Πολιτικά, Βιβλίο VII, Κεφάλαιο 16.
• Δημοσθένης — Κατά Νεαίρας, 59.67.
• Soranus of Ephesus — Gynaecology, Βιβλίο I, Κεφάλαιο 19.
• Longrigg, J. — Greek Medicine from the Heroic to the Hellenistic Age, New York: Routledge, 1998.
• Pomeroy, S. B. — Goddesses, Whores, Wives, and Slaves: Women in Classical Antiquity, New York: Schocken Books, 1995.