Ancient Greek

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Etymology

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Unexplained. Traditionally derived from φύω (phúō, to grow), with a prefix ὑ- (hu-), following the explanation in Hesychius, who described it as “what grows on firs”. But, since a full grade φευ- (pheu-) does not definitively occur in Greek, such a derivation is implausible. Nor is this word related to σῦφαρ (sûphar, old, wrinkled skin).[1] Likely Pre-Greek, given its meaning and the ending -ᾰρ (-ar).[2]

Pronunciation

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Noun

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ὕφεᾰρ (húphearn (genitive ὑφέᾰρος); third declension

  1. (in Arcadia) mistletoe (Viscum album)
    Synonym: ἰξός (ixós)

Inflection

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References

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  1. ^ Beekes, Robert S. P. (2010) “ὕφεαρ, -εαρος”, in Etymological Dictionary of Greek (Leiden Indo-European Etymological Dictionary Series; 10), with the assistance of Lucien van Beek, Leiden, Boston: Brill, →ISBN, pages 1540–1541
  2. ^ Beekes, Robert S. P. (2014) Stefan Norbruis, editor, Pre-Greek: Phonology, Morphology, Lexicon, Leiden: Brill, →ISBN, page 32:27 -αρ

Further reading

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