μῆριγξ

Ancient Greek

Alternative forms

• σμῆριγξ (smêrinx)

Etymology

The suffix "-ιγγ-", the prothetic "σ-" and the lack of possible cognates, apart from μήρινθος (mḗrinthos, “fishing line”), lead to a Pre-Greek origin.

Pronunciation

 

• IPA^(key): /mɛ̂ː.riŋks/ → /ˈmi.riŋks/ → /ˈmi.riŋks/

• (5^th BCE Attic) IPA^(key): /mɛ̂ː.riŋks/
• (1^st CE Egyptian) IPA^(key): /ˈme̝.riŋks/
• (4^th CE Koine) IPA^(key): /ˈmi.riŋks/
• (10^th CE Byzantine) IPA^(key): /ˈmi.riŋks/
• (15^th CE Constantinopolitan) IPA^(key): /ˈmi.riŋks/

Noun

μῆρῐγξ • (mêrĭnx) f (genitive μήρῐγγος); third declension

1. bristle
2. Hesychius' gives the definition as: thorn which grows in the fleece of cattle.

Declension

Third declension of ἡ μῆρῐγξ; τῆς μήρῐγγος (Attic)

Case / #	Singular	Dual	Plural
Nominative	ἡ μῆρῐγξ hē mêrĭnx	τὼ μήρῐγγε tṑ mḗrĭnge	αἱ μήρῐγγες hai mḗrĭnges
Genitive	τῆς μήρῐγγος tês mḗrĭngos	τοῖν μηρῐ́γγοιν toîn mērĭ́ngoin	τῶν μηρῐ́γγων tôn mērĭ́ngōn
Dative	τῇ μήρῐγγῐ têi mḗrĭngĭ	τοῖν μηρῐ́γγοιν toîn mērĭ́ngoin	ταῖς μήρῐγξῐ / μήρῐγξῐν taîs mḗrĭnxĭ(n)
Accusative	τὴν μήρῐγγᾰ tḕn mḗrĭngă	τὼ μήρῐγγε tṑ mḗrĭnge	τᾱ̀ς μήρῐγγᾰς tā̀s mḗrĭngăs
Vocative	μῆρῐγξ mêrĭnx	μήρῐγγε mḗrĭnge	μήρῐγγες mḗrĭnges
Notes:	This table gives Attic inflectional endings. For declension in other dialects, see Appendix:Ancient Greek dialectal declension.

Further reading

• “μῆριγξ”, in Liddell & Scott (1940) A Greek–English Lexicon, Oxford: Clarendon Press
• Beekes, Robert S. P. (2010) Etymological Dictionary of Greek (Leiden Indo-European Etymological Dictionary Series; 10), with the assistance of Lucien van Beek, Leiden, Boston: Brill, →ISBN
• Hesychius' Lexicon: μ