Δημήτηρ

Ancient Greek

Alternative forms

• Δᾱμᾱ́τηρ (Dāmā́tēr) — Doric, Aeolic
• Δᾱμᾱ́ταρ (Dāmā́tar) — Arcadocypriot
• Δημήτρᾱ (Dēmḗtrā)

Etymology

The second half is generally believed to be μήτηρ (mḗtēr, “mother”). The first element, δᾶ (dâ), is classically explained as the Attic/Ionic variant of an archaic Doric form of γῆ (gê, “earth”); other theories include a connection with Albanian dhe (“earth”) or χθών (khthṓn, “ground, earth”).

The supposed Aeolic form Δωμάτηρ (Dōmátēr) is only attested through a reconstructed inscription from the 2nd century B.C. in Aigai. The inscription reads []ω[]ατρος ([]ō[]atros), which has been read, as reported in Richard Bohn's "Altertümer von Aegae" as a genitive form of Δωμάτηρ (Dōmátēr). However, as Chantraine says, "The dialectal forms, notably Δωμάτηρ (Dōmátēr), don't offer any help to etymology," and it's disputable whether the inscription reads as such.

Pronunciation

 

• IPA^(key): /dɛː.mɛ̌ː.tɛːr/ → /ðiˈmi.tir/ → /ðiˈmi.tir/

• (5^th BCE Attic) IPA^(key): /dɛː.mɛ̌ː.tɛːr/
• (1^st CE Egyptian) IPA^(key): /de̝ˈme̝.te̝r/
• (4^th CE Koine) IPA^(key): /ðiˈmi.tir/
• (10^th CE Byzantine) IPA^(key): /ðiˈmi.tir/
• (15^th CE Constantinopolitan) IPA^(key): /ðiˈmi.tir/

Proper noun

Δημήτηρ • (Dēmḗtēr) f (genitive Δήμητρος); third declension

1. (Greek mythology) Demeter

Inflection

Third declension of ἡ Δημήτηρ; τῆς Δήμητρος (Attic)

Case / #	Singular
Nominative	ἡ Δημήτηρ hē Dēmḗtēr
Genitive	τῆς Δήμητρος tês Dḗmētros
Dative	τῇ Δήμητρῐ têi Dḗmētri
Accusative	τὴν Δήμητρᾰ tḕn Dḗmētra
Vocative	Δήμητερ Dḗmēter
Notes:	This table gives Attic inflectional endings. For declension in other dialects, see Appendix:Ancient Greek dialectal declension.

Third declension of ἡ Δημήτηρ; τῆς Δημήτερος (Attic)

Case / #	Singular
Nominative	ἡ Δημήτηρ hē Dēmḗtēr
Genitive	τῆς Δημήτερος tês Dēmḗteros
Dative	τῇ Δημήτερῐ têi Dēmḗteri
Accusative	τὴν Δημήτερᾰ tḕn Dēmḗtera
Vocative	Δήμητερ Dḗmēter
Notes:	This table gives Attic inflectional endings. For declension in other dialects, see Appendix:Ancient Greek dialectal declension.

Derived terms

• Δημήτριος (Dēmḗtrios)

Related terms

• Δηώ (Dēṓ)

Descendants

• Greek: Δημήτηρ m (Dimítir); Δήμητρα f (Dímitra); Δημήτριος m (Dimítrios); δημητριακά n or pl (dimitriaká, “cereal, breakfast cereal”)
• Latin: Demeter
• → Russian: Деме́тра (Demétra)

Further reading

• “Δημήτηρ”, in Liddell & Scott (1940) A Greek–English Lexicon, Oxford: Clarendon Press
• “Δημήτηρ”, in Liddell & Scott (1889) An Intermediate Greek–English Lexicon, New York: Harper & Brothers
• “Δημήτηρ”, in Autenrieth, Georg (1891) A Homeric Dictionary for Schools and Colleges, New York: Harper and Brothers
• Δημήτηρ in the Diccionario Griego–Español en línea (2006–2024)
• Woodhouse, S. C. (1910) English–Greek Dictionary: A Vocabulary of the Attic Language‎^[1], London: Routledge & Kegan Paul Limited, page 1,008
• Julius Pokorny (1959), Indogermanisches etymologisches Wörterbuch, in 3 vols, Bern, München: Francke Verlag
• Richard Bohn (1889), "Altertümer von Aegae"
• http://opsopaus.com/OM/BA/Plethon/Demeter.html