かまめ

Old Japanese

Etymology

Listed in references as an ancient form of modern 鴎 (kamome, “seagull”).[1][2][3] However, the ultimate derivation is unknown. Possible derivations include:

  • From an uncertain onomatopoeic term
  • Related to 鴨 (kamo1, “duck”)
  • From some meaning of かま (kama)
  • The latter -me element is probably the め (me) that appears as an ancient suffixing element in some bird and fish names, such as 雀 (suzume, “sparrow”), 燕 (tsubame, “swallow”), 鯣 (surume, “cuttlefish”), 鮃 (hirame, “flounder”), 鮫 (same, “shark”)

Noun

かまめ (kamame2)

  1. The meaning of this term is uncertain. Possibilities include: a seagull, gull; a white waterfowl
    • c. 759, Man'yōshū (book 1, poem 2), text here
      ...國原波煙立龍海原波加萬目立多都...
      ...kunipara pa keburi tatitatu unapara pa kamame2 tatitatu...
      On the plain of land, smoke from the hearths rises, rises. On the plain of waters, gulls rise one after another.[4]

Descendants
  • Japanese: 鴎 (kamome), likely

References
  1. 1988, 国語大辞典（新装版） (Kokugo Dai Jiten, Revised Edition) (in Japanese), Tōkyō: Shogakukan
  2. 2006, 大辞林 (Daijirin), Third Edition (in Japanese), Tōkyō: Sanseidō, →ISBN
  3. 1995, 大辞泉 (Daijisen) (in Japanese), Tōkyō: Shogakukan, →ISBN
  4. Ian Hideo Levy (2014) Hitomaro and the Birth of Japanese Lyricism (Volume 734 of Princeton Legacy Library)‎, Princeton University Press, →ISBN, page 26
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