ἴγδις

Ancient Greek

Alternative forms

ἴγδη (ígdē)

Etymology

It can hardly belong to ἴκταρ (íktar), ἴξ (íx), nor to αἰχμή (aikhmḗ). According to Beekes, probably of Pre-Greek origin, due to the presence of the cluster "-γδ".^[1] Probably ultimately from Hurrian 𒀉𒆠 (/⁠idki, itki⁠/, “mortar”), from the root 𒀉 (/⁠id-⁠/, “to beat”), whence with metathesis Ugaritic 𒅅𒌈 (IG-TU₄ /⁠ʾiktu?⁠/, “mortar”). On these see Huehnergard, without the Greek.^[2]

Pronunciation

(5^th BCE Attic) IPA^(key): /íɡ.dis/
(1^st CE Egyptian) IPA^(key): /ˈiɡ.dis/
(4^th CE Koine) IPA^(key): /ˈiɣ.ðis/
(10^th CE Byzantine) IPA^(key): /ˈiɣ.ðis/
(15^th CE Constantinopolitan) IPA^(key): /ˈiɣ.ðis/

Noun

ἴγδῐς • (ígdis) f (genitive ἴγδεως); third declension

A mortar (vessel used to grind ingredients)
Synonyms: θυεία (thueía), θυείη (thueíē), ἴγδη (ígdē), λίγδος (lígdos), ὅλμος (hólmos)

Inflection

Third declension of ἡ ῐ̓́γδῐς; τῆς ῐ̓́γδεως (Attic)

Case / #	Singular	Dual	Plural
Nominative	ἡ ῐ̓́γδῐς hē ígdis	τὼ ῐ̓́γδει tṑ ígdei	αἱ ῐ̓́γδεις hai ígdeis
Genitive	τῆς ῐ̓́γδεως tês ígdeōs	τοῖν ῐ̓γδέοιν toîn igdéoin	τῶν ῐ̓́γδεων tôn ígdeōn
Dative	τῇ ῐ̓́γδει têi ígdei	τοῖν ῐ̓γδέοιν toîn igdéoin	ταῖς ῐ̓́γδεσῐ / ῐ̓́γδεσῐν taîs ígdesi(n)
Accusative	τὴν ῐ̓́γδῐν tḕn ígdin	τὼ ῐ̓́γδει tṑ ígdei	τᾱ̀ς ῐ̓́γδεις tā̀s ígdeis
Vocative	ῐ̓́γδῐ ígdi	ῐ̓́γδει ígdei	ῐ̓́γδεις ígdeis
Notes:	This table gives Attic inflectional endings. For declension in other dialects, see Appendix:Ancient Greek dialectal declension.

Derived terms

ἰγδίον (igdíon)
ἴγδισμα (ígdisma)

Descendants

Greek: ιγδίο (igdío, “mortar”)
Greek: γουδί (goudí, “mortar”)
- Greek: γουδοχέρι (goudochéri, “pestle”)

References

^ 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
^ Huehnergard, John (1987) Ugaritic Vocabulary in Syllabic Transcription, Atlanta: Scholars Press, pages 24f, 49, 106, 250, 317