κροκόδῑλος

κροκόδῑλος

Grammatical information: m.

Meaning: `lizard, crocodile' (Hdt., Arist.)

Other forms: also κορκ- (Pap.), κροκύδ- (Hippon.), κρεκύδ- (Et. Gen.)

Compounds: As 1. member a. o. in κροκοδιλο-τάφιον `burial place for crocodiles' (pap.).

Derivatives: κροκοδιλίτης m. (λόγος, Chrysipp.; Redard Les noms grecs en -της 113) = Lat. crocodilina ambiguitas (Quint.) "crocodile conclusion', a false conclusion; κροκοδίλεον (Dsc., Gal.), -διλιάς (Gal., Alex. Trall.) `Eryngium maritimum, sea-holly'; -διλέα `excrements of the κροκ. χερσαῖος', used as eye-salve (Plin.). Acc. to Hdt. 2, 69 properly Ionic name of a lizard, then transferred to the crocodile and the alligator.

Origin: ??

Etymology: Perh as popular word prop. "Kieswurm", from κρόκη `gravel' and δρῖλος `worm' with dissimilation. Extensively Diels and Brugmann IF 15, 1ff., also Solmsen BphW 1906, 758f.; there also on the itacistic writing -ει- and other variants. - After Grumach OLZ 1931, 1012 however Pre-Greek (rejected by Kretschmer Glotta 22, 261).

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