homo- ham- (#) Fr.: homo- A combining form meaning "same" used in the formation of compound words. Also, especially before a vowel, hom-. Homo-, from Gk. homos "one and the same," also "belonging to two or more jointly," from PIE *somos; cf. Pers. ham-, as below; Lith. similis "like," Goth. sama "the same," samana "together." Ham- "together, with; same, equally, even," Mid.Pers. ham-, like L. com- and Gk. syn- with neither of which it is cognate. O.Pers./Av. ham-, Skt. sam-; also O.Pers./Av. hama- "one and the same," Skt. sama-, Gk. homos-; originally identical with PIE numeral *sam- "one," from *som-. The Av. ham- appears in various forms: han- (before gutturals, palatals, dentals) and also hem-, hen-. |