Uncertain. The original nominative was probably ἕλμις (hélmis), with ἕλμινς being a back-formation from the oblique forms. There appear to be two related Indo-European roots: *kʷr̥mis, with descendants such as Sanskrit कृमि (kṛmi) and Proto-Slavic *čьrvь; and *wr̥mis, with descendants such as Latin vermis and Old English wyrm (English worm). However, since ἕλμινς has a λ instead of a ρ, and also because of the sequence -νθ-, Beekes argues for a Pre-Greek origin.
ἕλμινς • (hélmins) f (genitive ἕλμινθος); third declension
| Case / # | Singular | Dual | Plural | ||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Nominative | ἡ ἕλμῐνς hē hélmĭns |
τὼ ἕλμῐνθε tṑ hélmĭnthe |
αἱ ἕλμῐνθες hai hélmĭnthes | ||||||||||
| Genitive | τῆς ἕλμῐνθος tês hélmĭnthos |
τοῖν ἑλμῐ́νθοιν toîn helmĭ́nthoin |
τῶν ἑλμῐ́νθων tôn helmĭ́nthōn | ||||||||||
| Dative | τῇ ἕλμῐνθῐ têi hélmĭnthĭ |
τοῖν ἑλμῐ́νθοιν toîn helmĭ́nthoin |
ταῖς ἕλμῐνσῐ / ἕλμῐνσῐν taîs hélmĭnsĭ(n) | ||||||||||
| Accusative | τὴν ἕλμῐνθᾰ tḕn hélmĭnthă |
τὼ ἕλμῐνθε tṑ hélmĭnthe |
τᾱ̀ς ἕλμῐνθᾰς tā̀s hélmĭnthăs | ||||||||||
| Vocative | ἕλμιν hélmin |
ἕλμῐνθε hélmĭnthe |
ἕλμῐνθες hélmĭnthes | ||||||||||
| Notes: |
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