ψάδδα

Ancient Greek

Alternative forms

• (accusative singular, probably corrupted) άδδαν (áddan)

Etymology

Unknown. Only attested in Hesychius.

Possibly related to ψαθυρός (psathurós, “friable, crumbling”).

Pronunciation

 

• IPA^(key): /ˈpsað.ða/ → /ˈpsa.ða/

• (4^th CE Koine) IPA^(key): /ˈpsað.ða/
• (10^th CE Byzantine) IPA^(key): /ˈpsað.ða/
• (15^th CE Constantinopolitan) IPA^(key): /ˈpsa.ða/

Noun

ψάδδα • (psádda) f (genitive ψάδδης); first declension

1. (hapax) cinnabar

   Synonym: κιννάβαρι (kinnábari)

   • 5th century C.E., Hesychius of Alexandria, Γλώσσαι, Ψ:

     ψάδδα· ἡ κινάβαρις

     psádda; hē kinábaris

     psádda: cinnabar

Usage notes

• Hesychius also attests a form άδδαν, which is glossed with the accusative form τὴν κιννάβαριν (tḕn kinnábarin, “cinnabar”). This is probably a corruption of *ψάδδαν, but does show that this word belongs to the first-declension.

Inflection

First declension of ἡ ψᾰ́δδᾰ; τῆς ψᾰ́δδης (Koine)

Case / #	Singular
Nominative	ἡ ψᾰ́δδᾰ hē psádda
Genitive	τῆς ψᾰ́δδης tês psáddēs
Dative	τῇ ψᾰ́δδῃ têi psáddēi
Accusative	τὴν ψᾰ́δδᾰν tḕn psáddan
Vocative	ψᾰ́δδᾰ psádda

Further reading

• “ψάδδα”, in Liddell & Scott (1940) A Greek–English Lexicon, Oxford: Clarendon Press
• Hesychius' Lexicon: ψ