- σέρφος
- σέρφοςGrammatical information: m.Meaning: des. of a `small winged insect, gnat, winged ant' (Ar. a.o.);Other forms: also σύρφος θηρίδιον μικρόν, ὁποῖον ἐμπίς H. (υ-vow. onomatop. as in surren, Lat. susurrus a. o.?); σέριφος m., -ίφη f. `kind of locust' (Zen., Suid.), -ιφον n. = ἀψίνθιον θαλάσσιον (Dsc., Gal.).Origin: PG [a word of Pre-Greek origin]Etymology: To the animal-names in -φος, -ιφος (ἔλαφος, ἔριφος a. o.) Schwyzer 495, Chantraine Form. 263, Specht Ursprung 266. Unexplained. Wrong v. Bradke ZDMG 40, 352 a. o. (also Güntert Kalypso 235ff. with new arguments), s. Bq; not better Venmans Mnem. 58, 71 (s. Specht l.c. n. 8, Kretschmer Glotta 21, 181). On the island-name Σέριφος s. Bürcher P. -W. 2, 2, 1729. -- The variation points to a Pre-Greek word, Furnée 384. One would assume for σέρφος\/σέριφος a form *serybh-os (and even *sarybh-os); but σύρφος seems hard to combine with this: one expects here rather *sarʷbh-os; must two words be separated?Page in Frisk: 2,693
Greek-English etymological dictionary (Ελληνικά-Αγγλικά ετυμολογική λεξικό). Robert S.P.. 2010.