Μαῦρος

See also: μαυρός and μαύρος

Ancient Greek

Etymology

One theory is that it is a specific use of μαῦρος (maûros, “black”), from Classical ἀμαυρός (amaurós, “dark, dusky”).^[1] Another possibility is that it derives from the Moors' native name^[2] (perhaps from a dialect of Berber; compare Central Atlas Tamazight ⵎⵖⵓⵔ (mɣur, “big”)).

Pronunciation

(4^th CE Koine) IPA^(key): /ˈma.βros/
(10^th CE Byzantine) IPA^(key): /ˈma.vros/
(15^th CE Constantinopolitan) IPA^(key): /ˈma.vros/

Adjective

Μαῦρος • (Maûros) m (feminine Μαύρᾱ, neuter Μαῦρον); first/second declension (Koine, Byzantine)

Mauretanian, Moorish
- 125 CE – 200 CE, Lucian, How to Write History 28
(nominalized, masculine plural) Mauretanians, Moors
- 125 CE – 200 CE, Lucian, How to Write History 31

Declension

First and second declension of Μαῦρος; Μαύρᾱ; Μαῦρον (Attic)

Number	Singular			Dual			Plural
Case/Gender	Masculine	Feminine	Neuter	Masculine	Feminine	Neuter	Masculine	Feminine	Neuter
Nominative	Μαῦρος Maûros	Μαύρᾱ Maúrā	Μαῦρον Maûron	Μαύρω Maúrō	Μαύρᾱ Maúrā	Μαύρω Maúrō	Μαῦροι Maûroi	Μαῦραι Maûrai	Μαῦρᾰ Maûră
Genitive	Μαύρου Maúrou	Μαύρᾱς Maúrās	Μαύρου Maúrou	Μαύροιν Maúroin	Μαύραιν Maúrain	Μαύροιν Maúroin	Μαύρων Maúrōn	Μαύρων Maúrōn	Μαύρων Maúrōn
Dative	Μαύρῳ Maúrōi	Μαύρᾳ Maúrāi	Μαύρῳ Maúrōi	Μαύροιν Maúroin	Μαύραιν Maúrain	Μαύροιν Maúroin	Μαύροις Maúrois	Μαύραις Maúrais	Μαύροις Maúrois
Accusative	Μαῦρον Maûron	Μαύρᾱν Maúrān	Μαῦρον Maûron	Μαύρω Maúrō	Μαύρᾱ Maúrā	Μαύρω Maúrō	Μαύρους Maúrous	Μαύρᾱς Maúrās	Μαῦρᾰ Maûră
Vocative	Μαῦρε Maûre	Μαύρᾱ Maúrā	Μαῦρον Maûron	Μαύρω Maúrō	Μαύρᾱ Maúrā	Μαύρω Maúrō	Μαῦροι Maûroi	Μαῦραι Maûrai	Μαῦρᾰ Maûră
Derived forms	Adverb			Comparative			Superlative
Derived forms	Μαύρως Maúrōs			Μαυρότερος Mauróteros			Μαυρότᾰτος Maurótătos
Notes:	This table gives Attic inflectional endings. For declension in other dialects, see Appendix:Ancient Greek dialectal declension.

Derived terms

Μαυρουσία (Maurousía)
Μαυρούσιος (Mauroúsios)

Descendants

→ Coptic: ⲙⲁⲩⲣⲏⲥ (maurēs)
→ Latin: Maurus (see there for further descendants)

References

^ Sophocles, Evangelinos Apostolides (1900) “Μαῦρος”, in Greek Lexicon of the Roman and Byzantine Periods (from B. C. 146 to A. D. 1100), New York: Charles Scribner’s Sons, page 737
^ Douglas Harper (2001–2025) “Moor”, in Online Etymology Dictionary.