Ancient Greek

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Etymology

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A back-formation from σπατάλη (spatálē, lavish way of life, debauchery, luxury), of unclear origin. While Beekes admits the possibility of derivation from σπάω (spáō, to draw in, suck (of wine, etc.)) and rejects Neumann's derivation of the Greek as a loan from Hittite [script needed] (*išpatalla-, who gladly and often eats to the full), he ultimately prefers Furnée's derivation from Pre-Greek, based on a convincing connection with βάταλος (bátalos, catamite, lascivious man).[1]

Pronunciation

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Adjective

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σπάταλος (spátalosm or f (neuter σπάταλον); second declension

  1. wanton, lascivious

Inflection

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Derived terms

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References

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  1. ^ Beekes, Robert S. P. (2010) “σπᾰτάλη (> DER > Backformation σπαταλός)”, in Etymological Dictionary of Greek (Leiden Indo-European Etymological Dictionary Series; 10), with the assistance of Lucien van Beek, Leiden, Boston: Brill, →ISBN, page 1377

Further reading

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