μῶλυς

Ancient Greek

Alternative forms

μῶλῠξ (môlŭx), μωλῠρός (mōlŭrós)

Etymology

For μωλύω (mōlúō, “to parboil, scald, simmer”), compare κωλύω (kōlúō). Because of the unclear meaning and formation, this adjective is etymologically hard to assess. Connection with μέλεος (méleos, “idle, useless, vain”) does not explain the long vowel -ω-. Comparison with μῶλος (môlos, “toil and moil”) is mentioned by Pokorny. As Frisk remarks, everything remains hypothetical. According to Beekes, the suffix -υκ- looks Pre-Greek.

Pronunciation

(5^th BCE Attic) IPA^(key): /mɔ̂ː.lys/
(1^st CE Egyptian) IPA^(key): /ˈmo.lys/
(4^th CE Koine) IPA^(key): /ˈmo.lys/
(10^th CE Byzantine) IPA^(key): /ˈmo.lys/
(15^th CE Constantinopolitan) IPA^(key): /ˈmo.lis/

Adjective

μῶλῠς • (môlŭs) m or f (neuter μῶλῠ); third declension

soft, weak, feeble
Synonym: ἀφαυρός (aphaurós)
weak in intellect, dull

Derived terms

μώλῡσῐς (mṓlūsĭs)
μωλῡτής (mōlūtḗs)
μωλῡτός (mōlūtós)
μωλῠ́ω (mōlŭ́ō)