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The corpus record

μάσταξ

mastax

mouth; mouthful, morsel

Generated live from the audited corpus — every figure on this page is a database query, not prose from memory.

Where it lives

  • Odyssey 2 · 0.23/10k
  • Iliad 1 · 0.09/10k

What it meant

1. μάσταξ · mastax — Beekes

μάσταξ, -ακος [f.] ‘mouth; mouthful, morsel’ (I 324), also metaph. ‘locust’ (S. Fr. 716, Nic.), Ambraciotic acc. to Clitarch. apud EM 216, 9, because of its voracity (cf. Stromberg 1944: 171). 4PG?> DER μαστάζω [v.] ‘to chew’ (Nic. Th. 918), also συμ- (Hippiatr.), with expressive byforms: 1. μασταρύζω (v.L -iCw) [v.] ‘to chew fervently, without uttering a word’, of an old man (Ar. Ach. 689); cf. μασταρίζειν: … — [Beekes, s.v. μάσταξ, p. 962]

2. μάσταξ · mastax — Chantraine

μάσταξ, -ακος : Î. «bouche», en tant qu'elle mâche (Od., Alem.}, «bouchée » (11. 9,324, Théoc.), aussi nom d'une sauterelle (5. fr. 716, Νίο,, mot d'Ambracie selon Clitarque ap. EM 216,9), à cause de sa voracité, cf. Strômberg, Woristudien 17 sqq., et Gil Fernandez, Nombres de Insectos 107. Présent correspondant μαστάζω « mâcher» (Nice. TA. 918), συμ- (Hippiair.), avec des doublets expressifs parfois attestés plus … — [Chantraine, s.v. μάσταξ, p. 687]

3. μάσταξ · mastax — Frisk

μάσταξ, -axos f. "Mund, Mundvoll, Atzung’ (ep. poet. seit / 324), auch übertr. “Heuschrecke’ (S. Fr. 716, Nik.; nach Klitarch. ap. EM 216, 9 ambrakiotisch), wegen der Gefräßigkeit (vgl. Strömberg Wortstudien 17f.). — Daneben μαστάξω "kauen’ (Nik. Th. 918), ovu » (Hippiatr.), mit expressiven Nebenformen: 1. μασταρύξω (v.1. -ξω) “eifrig kauen, ohne ein Wort hervorpressen zu können’ (von einem Greis, Ar. Ach. 689); … — [Frisk, s.v. μάσταξ, p. 1154]

4. μάσταξ · mastax — LSJ

that with which one chews, mouth, jaws, mouth, mouth

that with which one chews, mouth, jaws, ἐπὶ μάστακα χερσὶ πίεζε he stopped his mouth with his hands, Od. 4.287; με . . ἑλὼν ἐπὶ μάστακα χερσίν seizing me by the mouth, 23.76, cf. Alcm. 144; ἀμαυρᾶς μάστακος προσφθέγμασι Lyc. l.c.; μάστακι ποππύζων AP 5.284.6 (Agath.), cf. 293.16 (Id.).

2

v. μύσταξ.

II mouthful, morsel, in its beak

= μάσημα, mouthful, morsel, ὡς δʼ ὄρνις ἀπτῆσι νεοσσοῖσι προφέρῃσι μάστακʼ, ἐπεί κε λάβῃσι Il. 9.324, cf. Eust. 753.62; μάστακα δοῖσα τέκνοισιν Theoc. 14.39; of the olive, Call. Iamb. 1.271; others expl. in Il. l.c. as dat. μάστακι in its beak, Apollon. Lex. s.v. μάσταξ, Plu. Am. prol. 2.494d.

III locust

locust, S. Fr. 716, Nic. Th. 802, Clitarch. Gloss. ap. EM 216.9. (Cf. μέστακα.)

In the wild

Where it came from

  • Beekes, Etymological Dictionary of Greek (Brill 2010) Treated in Beekes, Etymological Dictionary of Greek (Brill 2010) s.v. μάσταξ (scan p. 962; entry #3946).
  • Chantraine, Dictionnaire etymologique de la langue grecque Treated in Chantraine, Dictionnaire etymologique de la langue grecque s.v. μάσταξ (scan p. 687; entry #5096).
  • Frisk, Griechisches etymologisches Worterbuch Treated in Frisk, Griechisches etymologisches Worterbuch s.v. μάσταξ (scan p. 1154; entry #3752).

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