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Jan van Steenbergen scripsit:
> > Climax < Greek _klimax_ 'ladder', ironically enough.
>
> Cognate with "climb", or does it only seem so?
Almost certainly not, since Greek k = Germanic h/x. I can find no
cognates of "climb" outside the Germanic languages (but my resources
are limited).
The PIE root of "klimax" is klei- 'lean', which has no English reflexes in
full grade (but borrowings -cline (in Latin words), -clivity, clitoris);
in zero grade, we have lid < OE hlid, lean < OE hleonian, and borrowings
client, climate, -cline (in Greek words), clitic.
Finally, in o-grade we have kloi-tr- > PGmc hlaidri > OE hlaeder > ladder!
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