Perhaps from γάλα (gála, “milk”), because of the color of its shell.
γᾰ́λᾰξ • (gálax) m (genitive γᾰ́λᾰκος); third declension
| Case / # | Singular | Dual | Plural | ||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Nominative | ὁ γᾰ́λᾰξ ho gálax |
τὼ γᾰ́λᾰκε tṑ gálake |
οἱ γᾰ́λᾰκες hoi gálakes | ||||||||||
| Genitive | τοῦ γᾰ́λᾰκος toû gálakos |
τοῖν γᾰλᾰ́κοιν toîn galákoin |
τῶν γᾰλᾰ́κων tôn galákōn | ||||||||||
| Dative | τῷ γᾰ́λᾰκῐ tôi gálaki |
τοῖν γᾰλᾰ́κοιν toîn galákoin |
τοῖς γᾰ́λᾰξῐ / γᾰ́λᾰξῐν toîs gálaxi(n) | ||||||||||
| Accusative | τὸν γᾰ́λᾰκᾰ tòn gálaka |
τὼ γᾰ́λᾰκε tṑ gálake |
τοὺς γᾰ́λᾰκᾰς toùs gálakas | ||||||||||
| Vocative | γᾰ́λᾰξ gálax |
γᾰ́λᾰκε gálake |
γᾰ́λᾰκες gálakes | ||||||||||
| Notes: |
| ||||||||||||