θηλή

Forms

θηλή (thēlḗ) f (genitive θηλῆς); first declension^[1]

Etymology

It is inherited from Proto-Indo-European *dʰeh₁léh₂,^[1] from the root *dʰeh₁(i)- (“to suck, suckle”), which Greek also has in θῆσθαι (thêsthai, “to suck”), θῆλυς (thêlus, “female”) and τιθήνη (tithḗnē, “nurse”).^[2][3] Chantraine explains it as the root with a suffix in l, a form that the Latin denominative fēlō (“to suck”) also presupposes.^[3]

Other l-formations from the same root are fīlius (“son”) and Latvian dēls (“son”).^[3][4]

Earliest recorded meaning

The CGL cites a fragment of Pindar for the teat of an animal,^[5] Euripides' Cyclops uses it of the teats of ewes.^[5][6]

Semantic evolution

Classical writers used it of animals and of women: Euripides, the Hippocratic writers and Plato.^[6][5][3] Aristotle distinguishes the nipple, through which the milk is strained, from the breast, μαστός (mastós).^[6][3] A papyrus of the 3rd century AD uses it for the iron head of a pole.^[6]

Modern Greek θηλή (thilí) is a learned word: the nipple, the teat of a baby's bottle, and in anatomy and botany any small projection.^[7] Modern zoological Latin made the name Mesothelae from it.^[1]

Timeline

• 6th–5th century BC – A fragment of Pindar uses it of an animal's teat.^[5][8]
• 5th century BC – Euripides' Cyclops and the Hippocratic writers use it.^[6][8]
• 4th century BC – Aristotle distinguishes the nipple from the breast.^[6][3][8]
• 3rd century AD – A papyrus uses it of the iron head of a pole.^[6]
• Modern Greek – θηλή (thilí) is a learned word for the nipple and for small projections in anatomy and botany.^[7]

Meanings

Noun

1. The teat of an animal.^[6][5]
2. The nipple of a woman.^[5][6]
3. The head of a pole.^[6]

Related words

• θῆλυς (thêlus)
• θηλάζω (thēlázō)
• θῆσθαι (thêsthai)
• τιθήνη (tithḗnē)
• Latin felo

References

1. ^ a b c d e f Wiktionary, the free dictionary, https://en.wiktionary.org
2. ^ Beekes, Robert S. P. (2010), Etymological Dictionary of Greek, with the assistance of Lucien van Beek, Leiden Indo-European Etymological Dictionary Series 10, Leiden; Boston: Brill
3. ^ a b c d e f Chantraine, Pierre (2009), Dictionnaire étymologique de la langue grecque: histoire des mots, new ed. with a supplement (Chroniques d'étymologie grecque 1–10), Paris: Klincksieck
4. ^ Babiniotis, Georgios (2010), Ετυμολογικό λεξικό της νέας ελληνικής γλώσσας [Etymological Dictionary of Modern Greek], Athens: Κέντρο Λεξικολογίας
5. ^ a b c d e f Diggle, James, et al., eds. (2021), The Cambridge Greek Lexicon, Cambridge: Cambridge University Press
6. ^ a b c d e f g h i j Liddell, Henry George; Scott, Robert; Jones, Henry Stuart (1940), A Greek-English Lexicon, 9th ed., Oxford: Clarendon Press
7. ^ a b Ινστιτούτο Νεοελληνικών Σπουδών (Ίδρυμα Μανόλη Τριανταφυλλίδη) (1998), Λεξικό της κοινής νεοελληνικής, Thessaloniki: Aristotle University of Thessaloniki
8. ^ a b c Rodríguez Adrados, Francisco, et al., eds. (1980–), Diccionario Griego-Español, Madrid: CSIC, http://dge.cchs.csic.es/xdge