λαῖφα

Ancient Greek

Etymology

Given the presence of variants, like λαίβα (laíba) and λαῖτα (laîta), the word is probably Pre-Greek. Furnée compares λαῖφος (laîphos, “sail, old garment”), but he gives no further explanation; one may imagine that the sails were made of skin, like the shield.

Pronunciation

 

• IPA^(key): /lâi̯.pʰa/ → /ˈlɛ.ɸa/ → /ˈle.fa/

• (5^th BCE Attic) IPA^(key): /lâi̯.pʰa/
• (1^st CE Egyptian) IPA^(key): /ˈlɛ.pʰa/
• (4^th CE Koine) IPA^(key): /ˈlɛ.ɸa/
• (10^th CE Byzantine) IPA^(key): /ˈle.fa/
• (15^th CE Constantinopolitan) IPA^(key): /ˈle.fa/

Noun

λαῖφα • (laîpha)

1. Hesychius' gives the definition as: ἀσπίς (aspís, “shield”).

Further reading

• Beekes, Robert S. P. (2010) Etymological Dictionary of Greek (Leiden Indo-European Etymological Dictionary Series; 10), with the assistance of Lucien van Beek, Leiden, Boston: Brill, →ISBN
• Hesychius' Lexicon: λ