μῆνιγξ

See also: Μῆνιγξ

Ancient Greek edit

Etymology edit

The semantic parallel with words like Latin membrāna (“membrane”) and Balto-Slavic words like Latvian miesa (“flesh”), Russian мя́со (mjáso, “meat”) and Polish mięso (“meat”), all ultimately derived from Proto-Indo-European *mems- (“flesh, meat”), is striking. However, this word cannot be combined with them. The unexplained -ν-, together with the suffix -ιγγ-, clearly points to a Pre-Greek word.

Pronunciation edit

(5^th BCE Attic) IPA^(key): /mɛ̂ː.niŋks/
(1^st CE Egyptian) IPA^(key): /ˈme̝.niŋks/
(4^th CE Koine) IPA^(key): /ˈmi.niŋks/
(10^th CE Byzantine) IPA^(key): /ˈmi.niŋks/
(15^th CE Constantinopolitan) IPA^(key): /ˈmi.niŋks/

Noun edit

μῆνῐγξ • (mêninx) f (genitive μήνῐγγος); third declension

(in general) membrane, cuticle
1. membrane of the eye
2. drum of the ear, eardrum
3. membrane enclosing the brain, dura mater
4. scum on milk

This entry needs quotations to illustrate usage. If you come across any interesting, durably archived quotes then please add them!

Inflection edit

Third declension of ἡ μῆνῐγξ; τῆς μήνῐγγος (Attic)

Case / #	Singular	Dual	Plural
Nominative	ἡ μῆνῐγξ hē mêninx	τὼ μήνῐγγε tṑ mḗninge	αἱ μήνῐγγες hai mḗninges
Genitive	τῆς μήνῐγγος tês mḗningos	τοῖν μηνῐ́γγοιν toîn mēníngoin	τῶν μηνῐ́γγων tôn mēníngōn
Dative	τῇ μήνῐγγῐ têi mḗningi	τοῖν μηνῐ́γγοιν toîn mēníngoin	ταῖς μήνῐγξῐ / μήνῐγξῐν taîs mḗninxi(n)
Accusative	τὴν μήνῐγγᾰ tḕn mḗninga	τὼ μήνῐγγε tṑ mḗninge	τᾱ̀ς μήνῐγγᾰς tā̀s mḗningas
Vocative	μῆνῐγξ mêninx	μήνῐγγε mḗninge	μήνῐγγες mḗninges
Notes:	This table gives Attic inflectional endings. For declension in other dialects, see Appendix:Ancient Greek dialectal declension.

Derived terms edit

μηνῐ́γγῐον (mēníngion, diminutive)
μηνῐγγότρωτος (mēningótrōtos)
μηνῐγγοφῠ́λᾰξ (mēningophúlax)

Descendants edit

⇒ Latin: mēninga
→ New Latin: mēninx
- → English: meninx

References edit

“μῆνιγξ”, in Liddell & Scott (1940) A Greek–English Lexicon, Oxford: Clarendon Press