*μάω
Word
Validation
No
Word-form
μάστακα
Word-lemma
Etymon-lemma
Transliteration (Word)
mastax
English translation (word)
mouth, mouthful
Transliteration (Etymon)
*maō
English translation (etymon)
to be very eager
Century
1 BC
Reference
fr. *144
Edition
C. Theodoridis, Die Fragmente des Grammatikers Philoxenos [Sammlung griechischer und lateinischer Grammatiker (SGLG) 2. Berlin: De Gruyter, 1976
Source
Scholia in Theocritum
Ref.
Idyll 14, 39-42b
Ed.
K. Wendel, Scholia in Theocritum vetera, Leipzig: Teubner, 1914
Quotation
Mάστακα δ’ οἷα τέκνοισι· ... ἢ ζητήσεως ἄξιον· ἐκ τοῦ μῶ, τὸ ζητῶ.
Translation (En)
Mastaka d’oia teknoisi "having given a morsel to her chicks": ... or worthy of being researched; from *mō, "to seek".
Other translation(s)
Mastaka d’oia teknoisi « ayant donné un morceau à ses petits » : ...ou bien digne de recherche ; de *mō, « chercher ».
Parallels
bT Schol. Il. 4,191a (ἐπιμάσσεται: παρὰ τὸ μῶ μαίω μάω, ὡς νῶ ναίω νάω· ἀφ’ οὗ καὶ ὁ μαστὸς καὶ ἡ μάσταξ)
Modern etymology
Unknown (Beekes, EDG)
Persistence in Modern Greek
No
Entry By
Eva Ferrer
Comment
Derivational etymology: food (here μάσταξ "mouthful") is what the young seeks. The lemma is assumed to mean literally "sought", with a passive meaning. This etymology is used for "food" and for the source of food (see μαστός / *μάω)