The Ancient Macedonian word νίβα
| Word | νίβα |
|---|---|
|
|
| IPA | ni.ba |
| Meaning | snow, spring |
| Notes/Remarks |
This word has an uncertain classification |
| See also |
Homeric Greek: νίφα
‘snow’ Proto-Indo-European: *sneigʷh- ‘snow’ Latin: nix ‘snow’ Greek: νίφα ‘snow’ |
| Synonyms | λείβηθρον |
|
Comments |
|
|
Hesychius does not attribute it an ethnicon, however since the word has a β instead of a φ, a Macedonian origin is suspected. If the word was of Thracian or Phrygian origin, the PIE labiovelar /gʷh/ would turn to /g/. In Souda: "Νίβα: χιόνα. καλεῖται δὲ οὕτως καὶ κρήνη ἐν Θρᾴκῃ", which means that the word was used specifically as well/spring in Thrace. Was it a regular form for "snow"? |
|
|
Other words that might be of interest |
|
| ἀδῆ ‘heaven, sky’ | |