γάλα

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Ancient Greek

Alternative forms

Etymology

Possibly inherited from Proto-Indo-European *gláktn̥ (milk) (compare Latin lact, Old Armenian կաթն (katʻn), Albanian dhallë), earlier *glákt (or, if the Hittite cognate is valid, *gláktr̥), perhaps from a root *glag- +‎ *-tr̥, but the phonetic irregularities, presence of *a, and Mediterranean distribution of this word have cast doubt on its existence in PIE. Instead, it may have been borrowed from an agricultural wanderword related to or descended from Hittite 𒂵𒌨𒋻 (galaktar, soothing substance, nutrient), itself possibly derived from 𒅗𒆷𒀭𒃰𒁺 (galank-, to soothe), from Proto-Indo-European *gleǵʰ- (soft, weak); cf. Bulgarian гле́зя (glézja, to pamper).[1] However, Beekes doubts that there is any connection with the Hittite.[2]

The variant γλάγος (glágos) was contracted from the second oblique stem.

Pronunciation

 

Noun

γᾰ́λᾰ (gálan (genitive γᾰ́λᾰκτος or γᾰ́λᾰκος); third declension

  1. milk
  2. milky sap
  3. the Milky Way galaxy

Usage notes

Sometimes indeclinable.

Inflection

Derived terms

Descendants

  • Greek: γάλα (gála)
  • Mariupol Greek: га́ла (hála)

References

  1. ^ Kloekhorst, Alwin (2008) “kalank-i”, in Etymological Dictionary of the Hittite Inherited Lexicon (Leiden Indo-European Etymological Dictionary Series; 5), Leiden, Boston: Brill, →ISBN, page 428
  2. ^ Beekes, Robert S. P. (2010) “γάλα”, in Etymological Dictionary of Greek (Leiden Indo-European Etymological Dictionary Series; 10), with the assistance of Lucien van Beek, Leiden, Boston: Brill, →ISBN, page 256:IE *glkt(-)

Further reading

Greek

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Etymology

From Ancient Greek γάλα (gála), from Proto-Indo-European *glakt-, *galakt-.

Cognate with Mariupol Greek га́ла (hála).

Pronunciation

  • IPA(key):
  • Hyphenation: γά‧λα

Noun

γάλα (gálan (plural γάλατα)

  1. milk
    κατσικίσιο γάλαkatsikísio gálagoat's milk

Declension

Declension of γάλα
singular plural
nominative γάλα (gála) γάλατα (gálata)
genitive γάλακτος (gálaktos) -
accusative γάλα (gála) γάλατα (gálata)
vocative γάλα (gála) γάλατα (gálata)

There is a rare genitive singular γάλατος (gálatos) and the genitive plural γαλάτων (galáton) is uncommon

Coordinate terms

Further reading