πυροφάνι

Greek

FWOTD – 24 March 2018

From πῦρ (pûr, “fire”) + φᾱνῐ́ον (phānĭ́on, “lantern”), derived from φαίνω (phaínō, “to appear, to shine”).

πυροφάνι • (pyrofáni) n (plural πυροφάνια)

(fishing) fishing light attractor (fishing aid which uses lights attached to structure above water or suspended underwater to attract fish)
- 1940, Alekos Sakellarios, Christos Gianakopoulos, Christos Chairopoulos, Ψαροπούλα [Fisherman's Daughter]:
  Έφυγε με το πυροφάνι κι ούτε πια πίσω δεν εφάνει
  Éfyge me to pyrofáni ki oúte pia píso den efánei
  He left with the fishing light and never more appeared again.
- 1958, Thanos Sofos, Tonis Maroudas, Και η βάρκα γύρισε μόνη [And the boat came back alone]:
  Με σβησμένο πυροφάνι
  Κάποια νύχτα σκοτεινή
  Μπήκε μέσα στο λιμάνι
  η βαρκούλα η ορφανή.
  Me svisméno pyrofáni
  Kápoia nýchta skoteiní
  Bíke mésa sto limáni
  i varkoúla i orfaní.
  With a turned off fishing light,
  One dark night,
  The orphaned boat
  Came into the harbour.
(fishing, by extension) The method of fishing that uses such a fish attractor.
Ο ψαράς πήγε για πυροφάνι.
O psarás píge gia pyrofáni.
The fisherman went fishing with an attractor.
(colloquial, military) A type of hazing where lit paper is inserted between the toes of a sleeping soldier.