Δημήτηρ

Ancient Greek

Alternative forms

  • Δᾱμᾱ́τηρ (Dāmā́tēr) — Doric, Aeolic
  • Δᾱμᾱ́ταρ (Dāmā́tar) — Arcadocypriot
  • Δημήτρᾱ (Dēmḗtrā)

Etymology

The second half is generally believed to be μήτηρ (mḗtēr, “mother”). The first element, δᾶ (dâ),[1] is classically explained as the Attic/Ionic variant of an archaic Doric form of γῆ (gê, “earth”); other theories include a connection with Albanian dhe (“earth”) or χθών (khthṓn, “ground, earth”).[2]

The supposed Aeolic form Δωμάτηρ (Dōmátēr) is only attested through a reconstructed inscription from the 2nd century B.C. in Aigai. The inscription reads []ω[]ατρος ([]ō[]atros), which has been read, as reported in Richard Bohn's "Altertümer von Aegae" as a genitive form of Δωμάτηρ (Dōmátēr). However, as Chantraine says, "The dialectal forms, notably Δωμάτηρ (Dōmátēr), don't offer any help to etymology," and it's disputable whether the inscription reads as such.

Pronunciation

 

Proper noun

Δημήτηρ • (Dēmḗtēr) f (genitive Δήμητρος); third declension

  1. (Greek mythology) Demeter

Inflection

Third declension of ἡ Δημήτηρ; τῆς Δήμητρος (Attic)
Case / # Singular
Nominative ἡ Δημήτηρ
hē Dēmḗtēr
Genitive τῆς Δήμητρος
tês Dḗmētros
Dative τῇ Δήμητρῐ
tēî Dḗmētrĭ
Accusative τὴν Δήμητρᾰ
tḕn Dḗmētră
Vocative Δήμητερ
Dḗmēter
Notes:
  • This table gives Attic inflectional endings. For declension in other dialects, see Appendix:Ancient Greek dialectal declension.
Third declension of ἡ Δημήτηρ; τῆς Δημήτερος (Attic)
Case / # Singular
Nominative ἡ Δημήτηρ
hē Dēmḗtēr
Genitive τῆς Δημήτερος
tês Dēmḗteros
Dative τῇ Δημήτερῐ
tēî Dēmḗterĭ
Accusative τὴν Δημήτερᾰ
tḕn Dēmḗteră
Vocative Δήμητερ
Dḗmēter
Notes:
  • This table gives Attic inflectional endings. For declension in other dialects, see Appendix:Ancient Greek dialectal declension.

Derived terms

  • Δηώ (Dēṓ)

Descendants

References

  1. ^ "δᾶ" in Liddell & Scott 1940
  2. ^ Beekes, Robert S. P. (2010) “Δημήτηρ”, in Etymological Dictionary of Greek (Leiden Indo-European Etymological Dictionary Series; 10), with the assistance of Lucien van Beek, Leiden, Boston: Brill, →ISBN, pages 324-5

Further reading

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