μάχαιρα

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See also: μαχαίρα

Ancient Greek

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Etymology

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From a substrate source, though exact comparanda are disputed:[1]

  • Traditionally linked to μάχομαι (mákhomai, to fight); compare μάχη (mákhē, a battle, a strife). Though formally without issues, Chantraine finds this implausible.
  • Lewy considers the word as a Semitic borrowing; compare Hebrew מכרה (mᵉkērā, sword). However, Gordon considers the Hebrew to be borrowed from Greek, rather than the other way around.
  • Beekes prefers to link the word to μάγειρος (mágeiros, cook), taking the γ/χ interchange as evidence of Pre-Greek origin.

Pronunciation

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Noun

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μάχαιρα (mákhairaf (genitive μᾰχαίρας); first declension

  1. large knife, short sword, dirk, dagger

Usage notes

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Later Greek used μαχαίρης (makhaírēs) and μαχαίρῃ (makhaírēi) for the singular genitive and dative respectively.

Inflection

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Derived terms

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Descendants

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References

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  1. ^ Beekes, Robert S. P. (2010) “μάχαιρα”, in Etymological Dictionary of Greek (Leiden Indo-European Etymological Dictionary Series; 10), with the assistance of Lucien van Beek, Leiden, Boston: Brill, →ISBN, page 915

Further reading

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Greek

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Etymology

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Learned borrowing from Ancient Greek μάχαιρα (mákhaira).[1] Doublet of μαχαίρι (machaíri).

Noun

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μάχαιρα (máchairaf (uncountable)

  1. sword used by the ancient Greeks
  2. large knife

Declension

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References

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  1. ^ μάχαιρα”, in Λεξικό της κοινής νεοελληνικής [Dictionary of Standard Modern Greek], Triantafyllidis Foundation, 1998

Further reading

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