The word campus comes from the Latin word campus (a plain, open field) that derives from the Greek word campos (from campe) [bend, turn(ing), curve]. It was used in Sicily to describe a plain, level place, an expanse surrounded by woods, higher ground, etc. from the notion of the circus or riding-course, the act of bending or turning round horses. First used in college sense at Princeton.
From the same root: camp, camper, campaign, campaigner.
In modern Greek: Nouns:
a) campos: an open field, a level place, a valley
b) campe: bend, curve
c) campyle: curve, curved line Verbs:
a) campto: to bend, curve
b) camptome: to give in, relent
“campus” is not a derivative of “campos” but rather cognate with it: Both are derived from the same Proto-Indo-European root. It is important to make that distinction.
The mention of horses made me think of hippocampus. My dictionary gives that word’s etymology as: Gr. hippokampos - hippos=horse; kampos=a sea-monster. Does this kampos relate in any way to the campus under discussion?
Footnote: I can’t find any kampos in my Pocket Oxford Classical Greek dictionary.
According to my dictionary the “etymon” of “kampos” of the word hippokampos is uncertain and is probably a loan-word
Footnote: I can’t find any kampos in my Pocket Oxford Classical Greek dictionary. > >
Ah! That would be because you looked into a dictionary for the wrong “version” of Greek. According to my dictionary (Babiniotis, Dictionary of the Modern Greek language), the word “κάμπος” is medieval and comes from the Latin campus
