ὕσπληξ

Ancient Greek

Alternative forms

• ὕσπλαγξ (húsplanx) — Doric
• ὕσπληγξ (húsplēnx)

Etymology

Traditionally analysed as a compound of ὗς (hûs, “swine”) and πλήσσω (plḗssō, “to struck, smite”). In view of the variants with pre-nasalization, however, a Pre-Greek origin seems the most likely option.

Pronunciation

 

• IPA^(key): /hýs.plɛːks/ → /ˈys.pliks/ → /ˈis.pliks/

• (5^th BCE Attic) IPA^(key): /hýs.plɛːks/
• (1^st CE Egyptian) IPA^(key): /ˈ(h)ys.ple̝ks/
• (4^th CE Koine) IPA^(key): /ˈys.pliks/
• (10^th CE Byzantine) IPA^(key): /ˈys.pliks/
• (15^th CE Constantinopolitan) IPA^(key): /ˈis.pliks/

Noun

ὕσπληξ • (húsplēx) f (genitive ὕσπληγος); third declension

1. snare or gin of a birdcatcher
2. part of a spring or noose which slips down when touched
3. twisted strand
4. contrivance for starting a race

Inflection

Third declension of ἡ ὕσπληξ; τῆς ὕσπληγος (Attic)

Case / #	Singular	Dual	Plural
Nominative	ἡ ὕσπληξ hē húsplēx	τὼ ὕσπληγε tṑ húsplēge	αἱ ὕσπληγες hai húsplēges
Genitive	τῆς ὕσπληγος tês húsplēgos	τοῖν ὑσπλήγοιν toîn husplḗgoin	τῶν ὑσπλήγων tôn husplḗgōn
Dative	τῇ ὕσπληγῐ têi húsplēgi	τοῖν ὑσπλήγοιν toîn husplḗgoin	ταῖς ὕσπληξῐ / ὕσπληξῐν taîs húsplēxi(n)
Accusative	τὴν ὕσπληγᾰ tḕn húsplēga	τὼ ὕσπληγε tṑ húsplēge	τᾱ̀ς ὕσπληγᾰς tā̀s húsplēgas
Vocative	ὕσπληξ húsplēx	ὕσπληγε húsplēge	ὕσπληγες húsplēges
Notes:	This table gives Attic inflectional endings. For declension in other dialects, see Appendix:Ancient Greek dialectal declension.

Further reading

• “ὕσπληξ”, in Liddell & Scott (1940) A Greek–English Lexicon, Oxford: Clarendon Press
• ὕσπληξ in Bailly, Anatole (1935) Le Grand Bailly: Dictionnaire grec-français, Paris: Hachette
• 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