σπέλεθος

Ancient Greek

Alternative forms

• πέλεθος (pélethos)

Etymology

The formation is similar to σπύραθος (spúrathos) and ὄνθος (ónthos). A derivation from Proto-Indo-European *(s)pley- (“to split, splice”) is semantically possible comparing Proto-Germanic *skītaną (“to defecate”), which derives from Proto-Indo-European *skeyd- (“to cut off”). Alternatively, Beekes suggests a Pre-Greek origin.

Pronunciation

 

• IPA^(key): /spé.le.tʰos/ → /ˈspe.le.θos/ → /ˈspe.le.θos/

• (5^th BCE Attic) IPA^(key): /spé.le.tʰos/
• (1^st CE Egyptian) IPA^(key): /ˈspe.le.tʰos/
• (4^th CE Koine) IPA^(key): /ˈspe.le.θos/
• (10^th CE Byzantine) IPA^(key): /ˈspe.le.θos/
• (15^th CE Constantinopolitan) IPA^(key): /ˈspe.le.θos/

Noun

σπέλεθος • (spélethos) m (genitive σπελέθου); second declension

1. dung, ordure, manure

Inflection

Second declension of ὁ σπέλεθος; τοῦ σπελέθου (Attic)

Case / #	Singular	Dual	Plural
Nominative	ὁ σπέλεθος ho spélethos	τὼ σπελέθω tṑ speléthō	οἱ σπέλεθοι hoi spélethoi
Genitive	τοῦ σπελέθου toû speléthou	τοῖν σπελέθοιν toîn speléthoin	τῶν σπελέθων tôn speléthōn
Dative	τῷ σπελέθῳ tôi speléthōi	τοῖν σπελέθοιν toîn speléthoin	τοῖς σπελέθοις toîs speléthois
Accusative	τὸν σπέλεθον tòn spélethon	τὼ σπελέθω tṑ speléthō	τοὺς σπελέθους toùs speléthous
Vocative	σπέλεθε spélethe	σπελέθω speléthō	σπέλεθοι spélethoi
Notes:	This table gives Attic inflectional endings. For declension in other dialects, see Appendix:Ancient Greek dialectal declension.

Derived terms

• πελεθοβάψ (pelethobáps)
• ὑσπέλεθος (huspélethos)

 

Further reading

• “σπέλεθος”, in Liddell & Scott (1940) A Greek–English Lexicon, Oxford: Clarendon Press
• Beekes, Robert S. P. (2010) Etymological Dictionary of Greek (Leiden Indo-European Etymological Dictionary Series; 10), with the assistance of Lucien van Beek, Leiden, Boston: Brill, →ISBN