# Aorate



## Quentin Dollinger

I am researching a word coined in 1802 by the philologist Stephen Weston in London. He was was asked to coin a new word to describe the newly discovered objects Ceres and Pallas (now known as asteroids). The word he coined was aorate. I am trying to determine the meaning of this, since his reasoning on the subject has not been recorded. This is my own take on the subject. Any analysis by Forum members would be appreciated.

With the invention of the word ‘aorate’ Weston was employing the suffix –ate. This suffix occurred originally in nouns borrowed from Latin.  The origin of ‘aor’ is less certain, but may have come from the origins of the word meteor. According to the Online Etymology Dictionary, meteor is the neuter of the Greek meteoros (adj.) "high up," from meta-  "over, beyond"  + -aoros  "lifted, hovering in air." Combined with the definition of –ate, namely ‘having the appearance or characteristics of,” one may suggest aorate to simply mean an object that has the appearance of being in the sky.


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## lacrimae

Since "Aor " in Greec  means  a sword or dagger, this word would  be translated : "having the appearance of sword or dagger"


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## Quentin Dollinger

Thanks lacrimae, that is very helpful


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## Fred_C

Hi,
If you consider the suffix "ate" to be of greek origin, instead of latin, let me mention that the word "aoratos" is a perfectly valid greek word meaning either : "invisible", or "never seen before".
This explanation seems much less "far-fetched".


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## Quentin Dollinger

Thanks Fred, that does seem to be the most likely explanation.


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## lacrimae

Fred_C said:


> Hi,
> If you consider the suffix "ate" to be of greek origin, instead of latin, let me mention that the word "aoratos" is a perfectly valid greek word meaning either : "invisible", or "never seen before".
> This explanation seems much less "far-fetched".


 
À mon avis le préfixe négatif grec est An- si le mot commence par voyelle. Donc ça serait Anoratos, pas Aoratos.


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## linguos

The New Testament Greek Lexicon said:
			
		

> ἀόρατος [aoratos], _adj
> 
> def. _unseen, or that which can not be seen, e.g. invisible
> 
> Heb 11:27:  "By _faith_ (4102 _/pístis_) he left Egypt, not fearing the wrath of the king; for he endured, as seeing Him who is _unseen_ (517 _/aóratos_)" (_NASU_).


So, it would appear that there's no need for additional "n" after between "a" and "o" here, although I agree with lacrimae that normally we put "an-" if the word begins with a vowel. Perhaps, it's because "to see" is in Greek ὁράω, which we transliterate as "horaó".


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## Fred_C

linguos said:


> So, it would appear that there's no need for additional "n" after between "a" and "o" here, although I agree with lacrimae that normally we put "an-" if the word begins with a vowel. Perhaps, it's because "to see" is in Greek ὁράω, which we transliterate as "horaó".



Hi,

Many many words do not add a "N" after the privative A :
Just look in a dictionary for the words beginning with alpha and a vowel.
The most well known word is of course αόριστος !
The spiritus asper does not explain everything, because "ἀοίκητος" (uninhabitated) and "ἄοινος" (without wine) exist also, derived from words that take spiritus lenis.


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## linguos

Yes, *Fred*, but I don't understand why are you responding to me? It's *lacrimae* who suggested (in French!) that there possibly should be "n" after "a" in "aoratos".


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## Fred_C

Recte dicis.
Da veniam.


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## lacrimae

Fred_C said:


> Hi,
> 
> Many many words do not add a "N" after the privative A :
> Just look in a dictionary for the words beginning with alpha and a vowel.
> The most well known word is of course αόριστος !
> The spiritus asper does not explain everything, because "ἀοίκητος" (uninhabitated) and "ἄοινος" (without wine) exist also, derived from words that take spiritus lenis.


 
Tu as raison ,il y a beaucoup de mots qui commencent A- plus voyelle en grec.Mais je voulais dire que les néologismes d´habitude se forment avec an- voyelle por euphonie.

Salutem habeas


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## artion

Aoratos is an adj. simply meaning "invisible" (male and fem. g.). In new Gr. the female is Αόρατη (aorate). However, a classical philologist would not propose a modern Gr. adjective which is grammatically wrong in ancient Gr. Instead,  he created a brilliant female name, most proper for a celestial object: "Αοράτη". He just moved the accent (in Greek) which is not _visible_ in English.

Genesis, 1, 2: ... _η δε Γη ην αόρατος_ ...


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## ancalimon

"hoyrat" in Turkish means shapeless, vulgar, rough, unruly, ugly looking

It comes from Rum language.


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## Perseas

"αόρατε" is the vocative case of adj. "αόρατος" and means invisible, as has been mentioned above. However, I would like to express a questioning of mine.

Why would Stephen Weston name Ceres and Pallas after that adjective?
What was in his mind? Did he gave a name all accidentally? Did he have in mind that those asteroids were anyhow invisible? 
Or the selection of this name was associated with the explanation given in the original post, i.e. from μετέ-ωρος, or even another expalanation? 
As we read in post #1,_ he *coined* this name_ -- which he could have achieved using his imagination. 
I mean to say, why αόρατε in the case of the asteroids?


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## Quentin Dollinger

Hi Perseas: I can only say that giving a name that means invisible does make some sense, since they are invisible to the unaided eye (except in exceptional circumstances, and you have to know exactly where to look). He coined other words for Ceres & Pallas as well, but only aorate has been recorded for posterity. Thanks also to the other members who have contributed to this discussion.


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