δάϊς

Possibly from an original meaning of “burning”, connected to δαΐς (daḯs, “torch”). However, the Mycenaean form *𐀅𐀂𐀦𐀲 (*-da-i-qo-ta), lacking -ϝ-, suggests a non-Indo-European origin.^[1]

δάϊς • (dáïs) f; third declension

1. battle
   • 800 BCE – 600 BCE, Homer, Iliad 13.286:

     ἀρᾶται δὲ τάχιστα μιγήμεναι ἐν δαῒ λυγρῇ·

     arâtai dè tákhista migḗmenai en daï̀ lugrêi;

     • Translation by A. T. Murray

       but he prayeth to mingle forthwith in woeful war

   • 750 BCE – 650 BCE, Hesiod, Theogony 650
   • 467 BCE, Aeschylus, Seven Against Thebes 925
   • 310 BCE – 240 BCE, Callimachus, Fragmenta 243

• δάϊος (dáïos)

• “δάϊς”, in Liddell & Scott (1940) A Greek–English Lexicon, Oxford: Clarendon Press
• “δάϊς”, in ΛΟΓΕΙΟΝ Dictionaries for Ancient Greek and Latin (in English, French, Spanish, German, Dutch and Chinese), University of Chicago, since 2011