Ancient Greek edit

Etymology edit

Given the fish name ἠλακατήν (ēlakatḗn, kind of tunny), which derives from ἠλακάτη (ēlakátē, distaff, spindle), one would posit a basic word *κάμασος, with suffixal -ασος like in πέτασος (pétasos, broad-brimmed hat). It has been connected with Balto-Slavic words for the "sheatfish", such as Lithuanian šāmas, Latvian sams and Russian сом (som). Further connected with κάμαξ (kámax, pole, bar) by Solmsen. Probably a loan from the European substrate. Furnée connects it with κάβαισος (kábaisos, glutton, gourmand) and καμασός (kamasós, gulf, pit), but without evidence.

Pronunciation edit

 

Noun edit

κᾰμᾰσήν (kamasḗnm (genitive κᾰμᾰσῆνος); third declension

  1. name of an unknown kind of fish

Declension edit

Further reading edit