Months

Gender of Sexless Objects.—The gender of most nouns denoting sexless objects has to be learned by the endings (211, 228, 255) and by observation. The following general rules should be noted.

a. Masculine are the names of winds, months, and most rivers. Thus, ὁ Βορέᾱς the North Wind, ὁ Ἑκατομβαιών Hecatombaeon, ὁ Κηφισσός Cephissus.

N.—The gender of these proper names is made to correspond to ὁ ἄνεμος wind, ὁ μήν month, ὁ ποταμός river. In the case of winds and rivers the gender may be due in part to personification.

b. Feminine are the names of almost all countries, islands, cities, trees, and plants. Thus, ἡ Ἀττική Attica, ἡ Δῆλος Delos, ἡ Κόρινθος Corinth, ἡ πίτυς pine, ἡ ἄμπελος vine. The gender here follows that of ἡ γῆ or ἡ χώρᾱ land, country, ἡ νῆσος island, ἡ πόλις city, ἡ δρῦς, originally tree in general, but later oak (τὸ δένδρον is the ordinary word for tree).

c. Feminine are most abstract words, that is, words denoting a quality or a condition. Thus, ἡ ἀρετή virtue, ἡ εὔνοια good-will, ἡ ταχύτης swiftness, ἡ ἐλπίς hope.

d. Neuter are diminutives (197 b), words and expressions quoted, letters of the alphabet, infinitives, and indeclinable nouns. Thus, τὸ ῡ̔μεῖς the word ‘you,’ τὸ γνῶθι σεαυτόν the saying ‘learn to know thyself,’ τὸ ἄλφα alpha, τὸ παιδεύειν to educate, τὸ χρεών necessity.

N.—But some names of women end in -ιον (197 b): ἡ Γλυκέριον Glycerium.

SUFFIXES WITH NASALS (μ, ν)

1. μο, μᾱ (nom. μο-ς; -μᾰ and -μη): primary, in substantives denoting actions or abstract ideas (840 a. 5-7), and in some concretes: χῡ-μό-ς juice (χέω pour, χυ-), γραμ-μή line (γράφ-ω write, draw); in adjectives (858. 8, 9). On -τ-μο -τ-μα, -θ-μο -θ-μα, -σ-μο -σ-μα see 837, 832, 836; secondary, rarely in substantives: δρῡ-μό-ς coppice (δρῦ-ς tree, oak), or adjectives: ἔτυ-μο-ς true (ἐτεϝός real).—ι-μο: secondary, derived from ι stems (858. 9).—2. ματ (nom. -μα): primary, denoting result (841. 2). Here to μα from ṃ (cp. ὄνομα name, Lat. nomen; τέρμα goal, Lat. termen) τ has been added; cp. cognomentum.—3. μεν (nom. -μην): primary, in ποι-μήν shepherd, λι-μήν harbour.—4. μενο: primary, in participles: λῡό-μενο-ς.—5. μι (rare): primary, in φῆ-μι-ς speech (poet. for φή-μη).—6. μιν (nom. -μῑς): prim., ῥηγ-μῑ́-ς surf (ῥήγ-νῡ-μι break).—7. μνο, μνᾱ: prim., in στά-μνο-ς jar (ἵ-στη-μι set, stand, στα-), βέλε-μνο-ν dart (βάλλω throw), ποί-μνη flock, λί-μνη lake.—8. μον (nom. -μων): primary, in ἡγε-μών leader (ἡγέ-ομαι lead); adjectives 858. 10.—9. μονᾱ: primary, in πλη-σ-μονή fulness (πίμ-πλη-μι fill).—10. μων (nom. -μων): primary, in χει-μών winter, λει-μών meadow.

11. νο, νᾱ: primary, in ὕπ-νο-ς sleep, καπ-ϝό-ς smoke, ποι-νή punishment, φερ-νή dower (φέρ-ω bring), τέκ-νο-ν child (τίκτω bear, τεκ-), in adjectives (858. 11); secondary, in adjectives (858. 11), in σελή-νη moon (= σελασ-νη, σέλας gleam).—ανο, ανᾱ: primary, in στέφ-ανο-ς crown, στεφ-άνη diadem (στέφ-ω encircle), δρέπ-ανο-ν, δρεπ-άνη sickle (δρέπ-ω pluck), ὄργ-ανο-ν instrument (ἔργον work), θηγ-άνη whetstone (θήγ-ω whet); in adjectives: στεγ-ανό-ς (cp. στεγ-νός) water-tight (στέγ-ω shelter); secondary, in βο-τ-άνη fodder (βο-τό-ς, βό-σκω graze), ἕδρ-ανο-ν seat (ἕδ-ρᾱ seat). ᾱνο (ηνο), ᾱνᾱ (ηνᾱ): secondary, in gentiles (844. 3). ενο, ενᾱ: primary, in παρθ-ένο-ς maiden, ὠλ-ένη elbow. ηνο, ηνᾱ: primary, in τι-θή-νη nurse (θῆσθαι give suck). ινο, ινᾱ: secondary, in adjectives of material and time (858. 12), and in ῥαδ-ινό-ς slender, μελ-ίνη millet. ινεο, ινεᾱ: secondary, in adjectives of material (858. 12). ῑνο, ῑνα: primary, in χαλ-ῑνό-ς bridle, σέλ-ῑνο-ν parsley; secondary, in gentiles (844. 3); in patronymics (845. 6); in ἐρυθρ-ῖνο-ς red mullet (ἐρυθρό-ς red); βολβ-ῑ́νη a kind of βολβ-ός (a bulb-root). ονο, ονᾱ: primary, in κλ-όνο-ς battle-rout (κέλ-ομαι urge on); in abstracts, as ἡδ-ονή pleasure (ἥδ-ομαι am pleased). υνο, υνᾱ: primary, in κορ-ύνη club, πίσ-υνο-ς relying on (πείθ-ω persuade). ῡνο, ῡνᾱ: primary, in κίνδ-ῡνο-ς danger, αἰσχ-ῡ́νη disgrace. ωνο, ωνᾱ: primary, in κολ-ωνό-ς hill, κορ-ώ<*>η crow.—12. νυ (rare): primary, in λιγ-νύ-ς smoky fire.

13. αινα: secondary, of the person concerned (843 b. 5).—14. αν: primary, in μέλᾱς μέλαν-ος black.—15. εν (nom. -ην): primary, in τέρ-ην tender, ἄρρ-ην male.—16. ην: primary, in πευθ-ήν inquirer (πεύθ-ομαι, πυνθάνομαι inquire).—17. ῑν (nom. -ῑς): primary, in δελφῑ́ς dolphin, ὠδῑ́ς travail.— 18. ον (nom. -ων): primary, in words of agency: τέκτ-ων carpenter, τρῡγ-ών turtle-dove (τρύζω murmur, τρυγ-), κλύδ-ων wave (κλύζω dash, κλυδ-); and in others, as εἰκ-ών image (ἔοικα am like, εἰκ-), χι-ών snow.—19. ιον: secondary, in μαλακ-ίων darling, diminutive of μαλακό-ς soft.—ῑον: primary, in comparatives; ἡδ-ῑ́ων sweeter (ἡδ-ύ-ς); secondary, in patronymics (845.5). —Ϝον: primary, in πῑ́ων fat.—20. ων: secondary, in words denoting persons possessing some physical or mental quality, as γάστρ-ων glutton (γαστήρ belly); to denote place (851. 3); in names of months: Ἀνθεστηριών.—21. Ϝων: primary, in αἰ(ϝ)ών age, gen. αἰῶν-ος.—22. ιων: secondary, in patronymics (845. 5).—23. ιωνᾱ: secondary, in patronymics (845. 6).