- μήδεα 1
- μήδεα 1Grammatical information: n. pl.Meaning: `male sexual parts', (φωτός) Od., Androm. ap. Gal., Call., also Ant. Lib.) μέζεα (Hes. Op. 512, Lyc.); μέδεα (Archil. 138); in Opp. (K. 4,441) metaph. `urine'; μέζος αἰδοῖον H.Compounds: As 2. member in εὑμέζεος (cod. -μάξεως; leg. -μεζέος?) εὑφυης (cod. -εὶς; leg. -οῦς?) τοῖς αἰδοίοις H.Origin: PG [a word of Pre-Greek origin]Etymology: The relation between μήδεα : μέζεα : μέδεα has not been explained. Wackernagel Unt. 227 n. 1 sees hesitatingly (after Nauck) in μήδεα a euphemistic replacement for the rough μέζεα, μέδεα; in μέζεα Schwyzer 208 with Bechtel and v. Wilamowitz assumes a spirantic pronunciation of the δ. -- Because of the meaning the etymol. explanation is difficult. Schwyzer l.c. connects μήδομαι, pointing to OHG gimaht f. `facultas, genitalia'. It would be then a euphemism identical with μήδεα `counsels, cares'. Thus (doubting) Spitzer BSL 40, 47 with P. Friedländer, with Lat. mentula (to mens??) as a very doubtful parallel. -- Not with Curtius 662, Fick 1, 507 a. o. to μαδάω `drip'; cf. μεστός. By WP. 2, 231 (Pok. 706) separated from μαδάω and combined only with Celt., e.g. MIr. mess (\< *med-tu-) `gland' assuming an allcomprising meaning `swell, swollen in the form of balls(?)'. The variation clearly points to a Pre-Greek word; on ε\/η cf. Fur. 258 n. 42; δ\/ζ is well known (Fur. 253ff.). This type of meaning fits well with a substratum word.Page in Frisk: 2,222
Greek-English etymological dictionary (Ελληνικά-Αγγλικά ετυμολογική λεξικό). Robert S.P.. 2010.