𐌼𐌴𐌺𐌴𐌹𐍃

Gothic

Etymology

From Proto-Germanic *mēkijaz m. Cognate with Old English mēċe and Old Norse mækir. Koine Greek μάχαιρα (mákhaira), which it translates, is a false cognate.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ˈmeːkiːs/

Noun

𐌼𐌴𐌺𐌴𐌹𐍃 • (mēkeis) ?

1. (hapax) sword

   Synonym: 𐌷𐌰𐌹𐍂𐌿𐍃 (hairus)

   • 4th Century, Wulfila (tr.), Gothic Bible: Epistle to the Ephesians (Codex Ambrosianus A+B) 6.17:

     𐌾𐌰𐌷 𐌷𐌹𐌻𐌼 𐌽𐌰𐍃𐌴𐌹𐌽𐌰𐌹𐍃 𐌽𐌹𐌼𐌰𐌹𐌸 𐌾𐌰𐌷 𐌼𐌴𐌺𐌹 𐌰𐌷𐌼𐌹𐌽𐍃, 𐌸𐌰𐍄𐌴𐌹 𐌹𐍃𐍄 𐍅𐌰𐌿𐍂𐌳 𐌲𐌿𐌳𐌹𐍃;

     jah hilm naseinais nimaiþ jah mēki ahmins, þatei ist waurd gudis;

     And take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God: (KJV).

Usage notes

• The sole attestation of this term translates μάχαιρα (mákhaira, “shortsword”). 𐌷𐌰𐌹𐍂𐌿𐍃 (hairus), in contrast, is attested in multiple places and translates μάχαιρα (mákhaira, “shortsword”) as well as ῥομφαία (rhomphaía, “long and broad sword”). It is therefore possible that the semantics of these two Gothic words differed in some ways, but this cannot be ascertained from the paucity of surviving attestations.

Declension

Only the accusative singular is attested, but the word is probably masculine based on other Germanic languages.

Masculine ja-stem
	Singular	Plural
Nominative	𐌼𐌴𐌺𐌴𐌹𐍃 mēkeis	𐌼𐌴𐌺𐌾𐍉𐍃 mēkjōs
Vocative	𐌼𐌴𐌺𐌹 mēki	𐌼𐌴𐌺𐌾𐍉𐍃 mēkjōs
Accusative	𐌼𐌴𐌺𐌹 mēki	𐌼𐌴𐌺𐌾𐌰𐌽𐍃 mēkjans
Genitive	𐌼𐌴𐌺𐌴𐌹𐍃 mēkeis	𐌼𐌴𐌺𐌾𐌴 mēkjē
Dative	𐌼𐌴𐌺𐌾𐌰 mēkja	𐌼𐌴𐌺𐌾𐌰𐌼 mēkjam

But it may also have been neuter:

Neuter ja-stem
	Singular	Plural
Nominative	𐌼𐌴𐌺𐌹 mēki	𐌼𐌴𐌺𐌾𐌰 mēkja
Vocative	𐌼𐌴𐌺𐌹 mēki	𐌼𐌴𐌺𐌾𐌰 mēkja
Accusative	𐌼𐌴𐌺𐌹 mēki	𐌼𐌴𐌺𐌾𐌰 mēkja
Genitive	𐌼𐌴𐌺𐌾𐌹𐍃 mēkjis	𐌼𐌴𐌺𐌾𐌴 mēkjē
Dative	𐌼𐌴𐌺𐌾𐌰 mēkja	𐌼𐌴𐌺𐌾𐌰𐌼 mēkjam

See also

• 𐍆𐍉𐌳𐍂 (fōdr, “scabbard”)

Further reading

• Lehmann, Winfred P. (1986) “M45. meki”, in A Gothic Etymological Dictionary, based on the 3rd ed. of Feist’s dictionary, Leiden: E. J. Brill, page 250
• Streitberg, Wilhelm (1910). Die gotische Bibel. Zweiter Teil: Gotisch-griechisch-deutsches Wörterbuch. Heidelberg: Carl Winter’s Universitätsbuchhandlung, p. 93