Μέγαιρα

Ancient Greek

Etymology

From μεγαίρω (megaírō, “to grudge, to envy”).

This was the name of one of the Furies or Ἐρινύες (Erinúes, “Erinyes”) in Greek mythology. The name is used as a word in several European languages to denote a shrewish, ill-tempered woman. Compare French mégère, Italian megera and Sicilian majara.

Pronunciation

 

• IPA^(key): /mé.ɡai̯.ra/ → /ˈme.ʝɛ.ra/ → /ˈme.ʝe.ra/

• (5^th BCE Attic) IPA^(key): /mé.ɡai̯.ra/
• (1^st CE Egyptian) IPA^(key): /ˈme.ɡɛ.ra/
• (4^th CE Koine) IPA^(key): /ˈme.ʝɛ.ra/
• (10^th CE Byzantine) IPA^(key): /ˈme.ʝe.ra/
• (15^th CE Constantinopolitan) IPA^(key): /ˈme.ʝe.ra/

Proper noun

Μέγαιρα • (Mégaira) f (genitive Μέγαιρας); first declension

1. (Greek mythology, Roman mythology) One of the Erinyes/Dirae, (Furies, the goddesses of envy and jealousy who induced to commit crimes, such as marital infidelity.

   Coordinate terms: Ἀληκτώ (Alēktṓ), Τισιφόνη (Tisiphónē)

Inflection

First declension of ἡ Μέγαιρᾰ; τῆς Μεγαίρᾱς (Attic)

Case / #	Singular
Nominative	ἡ Μέγαιρᾰ hē Mégaira
Genitive	τῆς Μεγαίρᾱς tês Megaírās
Dative	τῇ Μεγαίρᾳ têi Megaírāi
Accusative	τὴν Μέγαιρᾰν tḕn Mégairan
Vocative	Μέγαιρᾰ Mégaira
Notes:	This table gives Attic inflectional endings. For declension in other dialects, see Appendix:Ancient Greek dialectal declension.

Descendants

• French: mégère
• Italian: megera
• Sicilian: magara, majara, mavara