Κυθέρεια

Ancient Greek

Etymology

Κύθηρα (Kúthēra, “Kythira”, Aphrodite's place of birth) +‎ -εῖος (-eîos)

Pronunciation

 

• IPA^(key): /ky.tʰé.reː.aː/ → /cyˈθe.ri.a/ → /ciˈθe.ri.a/

• (5^th BCE Attic) IPA^(key): /ky.tʰé.reː.aː/
• (1^st CE Egyptian) IPA^(key): /kyˈtʰe.ri.a/
• (4^th CE Koine) IPA^(key): /cyˈθe.ri.a/
• (10^th CE Byzantine) IPA^(key): /cyˈθe.ri.a/
• (15^th CE Constantinopolitan) IPA^(key): /ciˈθe.ri.a/

• Hyphenation: Κυ‧θέ‧ρει‧α

Proper noun

Κῠθέρειᾱ • (Kuthéreiā) f (genitive Κῠ́θέρεᾱς); first declension

1. (Greek mythology) The goddess Aphrodite.
   • 750 BCE – 650 BCE, Hesiod, Theogony 934:

     Ἄρηι ῥινοτόρῳ Κυθέρεια Φόβον καὶ Δεῖμον ἔτικτε

     Árēi rhinotórōi Kuthéreia Phóbon kaì Deîmon étikte

     To Ares Aphrodite bore the shield-piercer Panic and Dread

   • 800 BCE – 600 BCE, Homer, Odyssey 18.193:

     ἀμβροσίῳ, οἵῳ περ ἐϋστέφανος Κυθέρεια χρίεται

     ambrosíōi, hoíōi per eüstéphanos Kuthéreia khríetai

     with ambrosial, such as that wherewith well-girdled Aphrodite anoints herself

Descendants

• Latin: Cytherea

  English: Cytherea

References

• “Κυθέρεια”, in Liddell & Scott (1940) A Greek–English Lexicon, Oxford: Clarendon Press
• “Κυθέρεια”, in Liddell & Scott (1889) An Intermediate Greek–English Lexicon, New York: Harper & Brothers
• “Κυθέρεια”, in Autenrieth, Georg (1891) A Homeric Dictionary for Schools and Colleges, New York: Harper and Brothers