δέλτα

Ancient Greek

previous letter   γάμμα		following letter   ἒ ψιλόν
Δ δ   –   English: delta

Etymology

Borrowed from Phoenician 𐤃 (d /⁠dalet⁠/).

Pronunciation

 

• IPA^(key): /dél.ta/ → /ˈðel.ta/ → /ˈðel.ta/

• (5^th BCE Attic) IPA^(key): /dél.ta/
• (1^st CE Egyptian) IPA^(key): /ˈdel.ta/
• (4^th CE Koine) IPA^(key): /ˈðel.ta/
• (10^th CE Medieval) IPA^(key): /ˈðel.ta/
• (15^th CE Constantinopolitan) IPA^(key): /ˈðel.ta/

Noun

δέλτᾰ • (déltă) n (indeclinable)

1. delta, the name for the fourth letter Δ (D), δ (d) of the Ancient Greek alphabet.
   • Anecdota Bekkeri 781
2. anything shaped like a Δ
   1. river delta
      • 484 BCE – 425 BCE, Herodotus, 2 13
      • 64 BCE – 24 CE, Strabo, Geography 701
      • 86 CE – 160 CE, Arrian 5.4
   2. vulva
      • 411 BCE, Aristophanes, Lysistrata 151

Derived terms

• δελτοειδής (deltoeidḗs)

Descendants

• Greek: δέλτα (délta)
• ⇒ Latin: deltidium (New Latin)

References

• “δέλτα”, in Liddell & Scott (1940), A Greek–English Lexicon, Oxford: Clarendon Press
• “δέλτα”, in Liddell & Scott (1889), An Intermediate Greek–English Lexicon, New York: Harper & Brothers
• “δέλτα” in Bailly, Anatole (1935), Le Grand Bailly: Dictionnaire grec-français, Paris: Hachette
• “δέλτα” in the Diccionario Griego–Español en línea (2006–2026)

Greek

previous letter   γάμα		following letter   έψιλον
Δ δ   –   English: delta

Etymology

From Ancient Greek δέλτᾰ (déltă).

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ˈðel.ta/
• Hyphenation: δέλ‧τα

Noun

δέλτα • (délta) n (indeclinable)

1. delta, the fourth letter of the modern Greek alphabet.
2. river delta

See also

• Appendix:Greek alphabet

Further reading

• δέλτα on the Greek Wikipedia.Wikipedia ^el