κλεμμύς

Ancient Greek

Etymology

The formation is similar to that of synonymous words χέλυς (khélus) and ἐμύς (emús). Originally considered a folk-etymological adaptation to κλέμμα (klémma) and κλέπτω (kléptō, to conceal), because turtles can hide their bodies under their shell. Furnée compares κρεμύς (kremús, a kind of fish) and χρέμυς (khrémus, a sort of cod); these variants confirm that the word is Pre-Greek.

Pronunciation

 

Noun

κλεμμῠ́ς (klemmús) f (genitive κλεμμῠ́ος); third declension

  1. tortoise
    Synonym: χελώνη (khelṓnē)

Inflection

References

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