- σπήλαιον
- σπήλαιονGrammatical information: n.Meaning: `cave, cavern' (Pl., LXX, NT a. o.).Derivatives: σπηλαιώδης `cave-like', -αΐτης m. `god of caves' (Paus.), -άδιον n. (Theopomp. Com.; after the dimin. in -άδιον; not -ᾳδιον; cf. Hdn. Gr. 2, 488, 12). -- Beside it σπῆλυγξ, -υγγος f. `id.' (Arist., Theoc., A. R. a.o.) with σπηλυγγ-ώδης (EM), -οειδής (sch.).Origin: PG [a word of Pre-Greek origin] (V)Etymology: Both σπήλαιον and σπῆλυγξ are clearly enlarging transformations of one and the same basic word after diff. examples: with σπῆλυγξ cf. the semantically close σῆραγξ, φάραγξ, also φάρυγξ, λάρυγξ; σπήλαιον after κατά-, ὑπό-γαιος, -ον? The basic λ-stem can be in the same relation to the σ-stem in σπέος as e.g. νεφ-έλη to νέφ-ος. Further unclear; quite doubtful hypotheses w. lit. in Bq s. v., WP. 2, 680, W.-Hofmann s. spīrō. -- Lat. LW [loanword] spēlaeum and spēlunca (s. W.-Hofmann s.v. and Rohlfs ByzZ 37, 60f.); Alb. LW [loanword] shpellë `rock, cave' (Pisani Jb. f. kleinas. Forsch. 3, 152). - Furnée 123 reconstructs a *σπῆλυξ. -ῡκος from Lat. *spēlūca. He further adduces πῆλυξ = ῥαγάς (H., Phot.). He also reminds of Etr. śpel(a) `cave, tomb`. The word is no doubt Pre-Greek (note the prenasalization and the suffix -υγγ-).Page in Frisk: 2,765-766
Greek-English etymological dictionary (Ελληνικά-Αγγλικά ετυμολογική λεξικό). Robert S.P.. 2010.