- μαργαρίτης
- μαργαρίτηςGrammatical information: m.Meaning: `pearl' (Thphr., Str., Ael., Arr., NT).Derivatives: f. -ῖτις (λίθος) `id.' (Ath., Isid. Char.), dimin. -ιτάριον (PHolm.). Besides, prob. as backformation (cf. below), μάργαρον `id.' (Anacreont., PHolm.), -ος m. f. `id.' (Tz.), also `Indian pearlmussel' (Ael.), -ίς (λίθος) `pearl' (Philostr.,Hld.), pl. -ίδες as name of a pearllike kind of date-palm (Plin.); -ίδης m. (Praxag.).Origin: LW [a loanword which is (probably) not of Pre-Greek origin] Iran.Etymology: Oriental LW [loanword], acc. to Schiffer Rev. de phil. 63, 45ff. first from Iranian, MPers. marvārīt, NPers. marvā-rī δ `pearl'; details in Redard 56 f. Acc. to older view (s. Bq and Schrader-Nehring Reallex. 2, 159) from Skt. mañjarī `flowering but' (ep. class.), `pearl' (lex.), with -ίτης added after the many stone-names. The by-form mañjara- n. would agree well with μάργαρον, but the late and rare ocurrence of both the Skt. and Greek form is no support for a direct identification. See now Gershevitch in De Fochécour-P. Gignoux, Etudes iranoaryennes G. Lazars, 1989, 113-136 (from Iran. *mr̥ga-ahri-ita- `born from the shell of a bird' = oyster). - From μαργαρίτης Lat. margarita etc., s. W.-Hofmann s. v.Page in Frisk: 2,174-175
Greek-English etymological dictionary (Ελληνικά-Αγγλικά ετυμολογική λεξικό). Robert S.P.. 2010.