Γελλώ

Ancient Greek

Alternative forms

• Γέλλω (Géllō) — Aeolic

Etymology

Perhaps from Akkadian 𒂵𒀠𒇻𒌑 (ga-al-lu-ú, gallû), 𒋼𒇲 (GAL₅.LÁ, gallû, “Gallu”), a word from the Assyro-Babylonian religion perhaps related to ghoul, as a demonic revenant who brings sickness and death, from Sumerian 𒋼𒇲 (GAL₅.LÁ, galla, “demon; constable”).

Pronunciation

 

• IPA^(key): /ɡel.lɔ̌ː/ → /ʝelˈlo/ → /ʝeˈlo/

• (5^th BCE Attic) IPA^(key): /ɡel.lɔ̌ː/
• (1^st CE Egyptian) IPA^(key): /ɡelˈlo/
• (4^th CE Koine) IPA^(key): /ʝelˈlo/
• (10^th CE Byzantine) IPA^(key): /ʝelˈlo/
• (15^th CE Constantinopolitan) IPA^(key): /ʝeˈlo/

Proper noun

Γελλώ • (Gellṓ) f (genitive Γελλοῦς); third declension

1. Gello (a kind of vampiress, demoness, or goblin supposed to carry off young children and cause infertility)
   • 630 BCE – 570 BCE, Sappho, Collected Works 47:

     Γέλλως παιδοφιλωτέρα·

     Géllōs paidophilōtéra;

     (She) more child-loving than Gello.

   • 3rd century BCE, Erinna, SHell. 401.41
   • Cyranides 2.31.21
   • Cyranides 2.40.37:

     τὴν Γελλὼ τὴν πνίγουσαν τὰ βρέφη καὶ τὰς λεχοὺς ἐνοχλοῦσαν

     tḕn Gellṑ tḕn pnígousan tà bréphē kaì tàs lekhoùs enokhloûsan

   • c. 117 CE – 138 CE, Zenobius, The Proverbs of Zenobius 3.3

Declension

Third declension of ἡ Γελλώ; τῆς Γελλοῦς (Attic)

Case / #	Singular
Nominative	ἡ Γελλώ hē Gellṓ
Genitive	τῆς Γελλοῦς tês Gelloûs
Dative	τῇ Γελλοῖ têi Gelloî
Accusative	τὴν Γελλώ tḕn Gellṓ
Vocative	Γελλοῖ Gelloî
Notes:	This table gives Attic inflectional endings. For declension in other dialects, see Appendix:Ancient Greek dialectal declension.

See also

• Λάμια (Lámia)

Further reading

• “Γελλώ”, in Liddell & Scott (1940) A Greek–English Lexicon, Oxford: Clarendon Press
• Γελλώ in the Diccionario Griego–Español en línea (2006–2024)
• Gello on Wikipedia.Wikipedia