γῆ

γῆ

Grammatical information: f.

Meaning: `earth' (Il.)

Other forms: Dor. γᾶ, Cypr. ζα (uncertain, s. Lejeune BSL 50 (1954). Ion. plur. γέαι innovation (Schwyzer 473 A. 4, Schwyzer-Debrunner 51, K. Meister HK 172, 253)

Dialectal forms: Myc. In the Thebes tablets occurs maka, interpreted as \/Mā Gā\/ `Mother Earth' (e.g. Avrantinos-Godart-Sacconi, Thèbes...Les tablettes, 2001).

Compounds: Often as first member γη- (γα-), mostly γεω- from γη-ο- (late also γε-η- from γη-η-, γε-ο- and γειο- after -γειος \< -γη-ιος): γη-γενής `earthborn' (Ion.-Att.), γή-λοφος (Pl.), γεώ-λοφος (X.) `earthhill', γεωμετρία, -ίη `field-measuring' (Ion.-Att.), γεωργός `peasant' (Ion.-Att.) \< γη(-ο)-Ϝοργός or -Ϝεργός, cf. γαβεργός \<ὁ\> ἀγροῦ μισθωτής. Λάκωνες H. - I think the word goes back on *gaya, which was (very) early contracted to *gā; see Beekes, Pre-Greek under suffix -αι-.

Derivatives: Demin. γῄδιον (Ar.); adj. γήϊνος `earthen' (Ion.-Att.), Dor. γάϊνος, γεώδης (Pl.), γεηρός (Hp., cf. s. ἐγγαροῦντες); rare γῄτης (S. Tr. 32) `peasant', cf. γαϊ̃ται γεωργοί H. and Redard Les noms grecs en -της 36; denomin. γεόομαι `become earth' (D. S.)

Origin: PG [a word of Pre-Greek origin]

Etymology: Unknown. Wrong Meier-Brügger, MSS 53 (1992) 113-6 (to *ǵenh₁- `beget'). Prob. to γαῖα, both Pre-Greek words. On possible Δα`Earth' see δᾶ and Δημήτηρ) and Ποσειδᾱ́ων (q.vv.); rather doubtful. For δ-\/γ- cf. γέφυρα\/δέφυρα and Fur. 388f. I think the word goes back on *gaya, which was (very) early contracted to *gā; see Beekes, Pre-Greek under suffix -αι-. - Cf. also γέγειος.

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