𐌼𐌰𐌸𐌰

Gothic

Etymology

From Proto-Germanic *maþô.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ˈma.θa/

Nomen

𐌼𐌰𐌸𐌰 • (maþa) ?

2. maggot (larva that eats decomposing organic matter)
   • 4th Century, Wulfila (tr.), Gothic Bible: Gospel of Mark (Codex Argenteus) 9.44 & 46:

     𐌸𐌰𐍂𐌴𐌹 𐌼𐌰𐌸𐌰 𐌹𐌶𐌴 𐌽𐌹 𐌲𐌰𐍃𐍅𐌹𐌻𐍄𐌹𐌸 𐌾𐌰𐌷 𐍆𐍉𐌽 𐌽𐌹 𐌰𐍆𐍈𐌰𐍀𐌽𐌹𐌸.

     þarei maþa izē ni gaswiltiþ jah fōn ni afƕapniþ.

     Where their worm dieth not, and the fire is not quenched. (KJV).

   • 4th Century, Wulfila (tr.), Gothic Bible: Gospel of Mark (Codex Argenteus) 9.48:

     𐌸𐌰𐍂𐌴𐌹 𐌼𐌰𐌸𐌰 𐌹𐌶𐌴 𐌽𐌹 𐌲𐌰𐌳𐌰𐌿𐌸𐌽𐌹𐌸 𐌾𐌰𐌷 𐍆𐍉𐌽 𐌽𐌹 𐌰𐍆𐍈𐌰𐍀𐌽𐌹𐌸.

     þarei maþa izē ni gadauþniþ jah fōn ni afƕapniþ.

     Where their worm dieth not, and the fire is not quenched. (KJV).

Declension

The word is only attested in the nominative singular, which is not enough to determine whether it is a masculine an-stem or feminine ō-stem. Most dictionaries reconstruct a masculine an-stem based on the word's Germanic cognates.

Coordinate terms

• 𐌼𐌰𐌻𐍉 (malō, “moth”)
• 𐌸𐍂𐌰𐌼𐍃𐍄𐌴𐌹 (þramstei, “locust”)

See also

• 𐍅𐌰𐌿𐍂𐌼𐍃 (waurms, “snake, serpent”)

References

• Streitberg, Wilhelm (1910). Die gotische Bibel. Zweiter Teil: Gotisch-griechisch-deutsches Wörterbuch. Heidelberg: Carl Winter’s Universitätsbuchhandlung, p. 92

Further reading

• Lehmann, Winfred P. (1986) “M36. maþa”, in A Gothic Etymological Dictionary, based on the 3rd ed. of Feist’s dictionary, Leiden: E. J. Brill, page 247