ψάμμος

Ancient Greek

Etymology

Uncertain. Could be from a *ψάφμος (psaphmos) (compare γράφω (graphō), γράμμα (gramma)), and thus perhaps related to ψαφαρός (psapharos, “powdery, sandy”), ψῆφος (psēphos, “pebble”), as well as Latin sabulum.

Pronunciation

• (5th BC Attic): IPA: /pʰsám̚mos/

• (1st BC Egyptian): IPA: /pʰsám̚mos/

• (4th AD Koine): IPA: /ɸsám̚mos/

• (10th AD Byzantine): IPA: /psám̚mos/

• (15th AD Constantinopolitan): IPA: /psámos/

Alpa is long in Doric.

Noun

ψάμμος (genitive ψάμμου) f, sometimes m, second declension; (psammos)

1. sand
2. something worthless
3. metallic ore used by alchemists
4. desert

Inflection

Second declension of ψάμμος, ψάμμου

Case / #	Singular	Dual	Plural
Nominative	ψάμμος	ψάμμω	ψάμμοι
Genitive	ψάμμου	ψάμμοιν	ψάμμων
Dative	ψάμμῳ	ψάμμοιν	ψάμμοις
Accusative	ψάμμον	ψάμμω	ψάμμους
Vocative	ψάμμε	ψάμμω	ψάμμοι

References

• LSJ
• Robert S. P. Beekes (2009) Etymological Dictionary of Greek (Brill Academic Publishers)