ἀμβροσία Ancient Greek · revision 3268

+ {{infobox|confidence=established|formation=derivation|attested=Homer, Iliad|origins=ine-pro *mr̥tós}}

+

+ ==Pronunciation==

+ * IPA (5th-century BC Attic): /am.bro.sí.aː/^(Wiktionary)

+ * IPA (4th-century AD Koine): /am.broˈsi.a/^(Wiktionary)

+ * IPA (10th-century Byzantine): /am.broˈsi.a/^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Forms==

+ '''ᾰ̓μβροσῐ́ᾱ''' (ambrosíā) ''f'' (genitive ἀμβροσῐ́ᾱς); first declension^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Etymology==

+ It is a noun from [[ἀμβρόσιος|tr=ambrósios|t=immortal, divine]], itself from [[ἄμβροτος|tr=ámbrotos|t=immortal]], with the abstract suffix [[m|grc|-ία|tr=-íā]], and the ''τ'' became ''σ'' before ''ι''.^(Wiktionary)^(CGL 2021)^(Beekes 2010) Ἄμβροτος is the privative prefix with [[βροτός|tr=brotós|t=mortal]], an Aeolic development of [[ine-pro|*mr̥tós|t=dead, mortal]]; the ''β'' grew between ''μ'' and ''ρ''.^(Beekes 2010)^(Etymonline)

+

+ The privative compound matches [[sa|अमृत|tr=amṛ́ta|t=immortal; drink of immortality]] and [[ae|aməṣ̌a|t=immortal]].^(Beekes 2010)^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Earliest recorded meaning==

+ In the ''Iliad'' ambrosia is something the gods use on the body, to cleanse the skin before anointing it and to keep a corpse from decay; it is also fodder for Hera's horses.^(DGE)^(CGL 2021) In the ''Odyssey'' a goddess sets a table of ambrosia beside red nectar for her guest.^(DGE)

+

+ ==Semantic evolution==

+ From Homer on ambrosia is the food or drink of the gods, usually paired with [[νέκταρ|tr=néktar]], and a source of immortality, as in the ''Homeric Hymn to Demeter'' and in Apollonius of Rhodes.^(DGE) Pindar pairs nectar and ambrosia.^(DGE)^(CGL 2021) Plato feeds it to the horses of the gods in the ''Phaedrus''.^(DGE)^(CGL 2021) Democritus explained it as the vapours on which the sun feeds.^(DGE)

+

+ Later it named medicines and a festival of Dionysus.^(Wiktionary) Latin borrowed it as [[m|la|ambrosia]], and English took it from Latin in the 1560s.^(Wiktionary)^(Etymonline) In medieval Greek it could mean simply a fine wine.^(Kriaras) Modern Greek [[m|el|αμβροσία|tr=amvrosía]] is a learned word for the food of the gods and, jokingly, a delicious dish.^(Triantafyllidis 1998)

+

+ ==Timeline==

+ * Homer – The ''Iliad'' uses it as a divine unguent and as fodder for divine horses; the ''Odyssey'' as the food of the gods.^(DGE)^(CGL 2021)

+ * 7th–6th century BC – Sappho and Alcaeus mention it as drink and perfume of the gods.^(DGE)

+ * 6th–5th century BC – Pindar pairs nectar and ambrosia.^(DGE)

+ * 5th–4th century BC – Plato makes it the food of the gods' horses in the ''Phaedrus''.^(DGE)

+ * 1560s – English borrows ''ambrosia'' from Latin.^(Etymonline)

+

+ ==Meanings==

+ ===Noun===

+ # ''(mythology)'' [[m|en|ambrosia]], the food or drink of the gods, often paired with [[νέκταρ|tr=néktar]].^(CGL 2021)^(DGE)

+ # A perfumed [[m|en|unguent]] of the gods, also used to preserve a corpse.^(CGL 2021)^(DGE)

+ # Fodder for divine horses.^(CGL 2021)

+ # [[m|en|immortality]].^(DGE)^(Wiktionary)

+ # The name of several medicines.^(Wiktionary)

+ # A festival of Dionysus.^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Related words==

+ * [[ἀμβρόσιος|tr=ambrósios]]

+ * [[ἄμβροτος|tr=ámbrotos]]

+ * [[βροτός|tr=brotós]]

+ * [[νέκταρ|tr=néktar]]

+ * [[sa|अमृत|tr=amṛ́ta]]

+ * [[la|ambrosia]]

+ * [[en|ambrosia]]

+

+ ==References==

+ {{reflist}}