- μάστιξ
- μάστιξ, -ῑγοςGrammatical information: f.Meaning: `whip, scourge', metaph. `plague' (Il.).Other forms: dat. acc. also μάστῑ, -ῐν (Ψ 500, ο 182, AP).Compounds: Some compp., e.g. μαστιγο-φόρος `scourge-bearing', also name of a policeman (Th., Pap.).Derivatives: Dimin. μαστίγιον (M. Ant.); μαστιγ-ίας m. `rogue' (Att.; Chantraine Form. 93), -ία name of a magic plant (PMag. Par.). Denominative verbs: 1. μαστίω, only presentstem, `whip, crourge, thrash' (rarely ep. since Il.). 2. μαστίζω (posthom.), -ίσδω (Theoc.), aor. μαστίξαι (Il.; hell.) `id.', either from μάστιξ or enlarged from μαστίω (cf. Schwyzer 735 n. 4, Schulze Kl. Schr. 354 n. 1, Ruijgh L'éIém. ach. 88), with μαστίκ-τωρ `scourger, chastiser' (A. Eu. 159), -τήρ `id.' (coni. A. Supp. 466; cf. Fraenkel Nom. ag. 2, 22f.). 3. μαστιγ-ῶσαι, -όω (-έω Hdt. 1, 114) `id.' (IA.) with μαστίγωσις `whipping' (Ath.), -ώσιμος `worth a thrashing' (Luc.; after λεύσιμος, Arbenz 99). -- On μάστιξ, -ίζω also Delebecque Cheval 186ff.Origin: PG [a word of Pre-Greek origin]Etymology: Nom. instr. in -τις (ἄρυσ-τις, κνῆσ-τις etc.; Holt Les noms d'action en -σις 32, 42; Chantraine Form. 275 f.), with γ-enlargement (Schwyzer 496, Chantraine 397) μασ-τῑ-γ-, from μάσ-σασθαι, μαίομαι `touch' (s. v.). -- The formal similariy between μάστιξ, μαστιγόω and Lith. màstieguoti, mostigóti `quirl, beat about' is purely accidental (Fraenkel Wb. s. màkaluoti against Prellwitz BB 24, 106). I doubt the connection with μασάομαι, and rather think that the word is Pre-Greek. Cf. Schrader-Nehring Reallex. 2, 154.The suffix -ῑγ- is Pre-Greek.Page in Frisk: 2,182-183
Greek-English etymological dictionary (Ελληνικά-Αγγλικά ετυμολογική λεξικό). Robert S.P.. 2010.