Μορμώ

Ancient Greek

Alternative forms

Μορμών (Mormṓn)

Etymology

Unknown. Beekes thinks a Pre-Greek origin is likely.[1] Maybe related to μόρμορος (mórmoros, “fear, panic”).[2] Generally claimed to be connected with Latin formido, although the parallel is dubious. However, see Middle Armenian մորմ (morm, “tarantula”), which possibly comes from the same substrate source.[2]

Pronunciation

(5^th BCE Attic) IPA^(key): /mor.mɔ̌ː/
(1^st CE Egyptian) IPA^(key): /morˈmo/
(4^th CE Koine) IPA^(key): /morˈmo/
(10^th CE Byzantine) IPA^(key): /morˈmo/
(15^th CE Constantinopolitan) IPA^(key): /morˈmo/

Proper noun

Μορμώ • (Mormṓ) f (genitive Μορμόος or Μορμοῦς); third declension

Mormo, a monstrous spectre in Greek mythology, used as a bogey to frighten children

Inflection

Third declension of ἡ Μορμώ; τῆς Μορμόος (Attic)

Case / #	Singular
Nominative	ἡ Μορμώ hē Mormṓ
Genitive	τῆς Μορμόος / Μορμοῦς tês Mormóos / Mormoûs
Dative	τῇ Μορμοῖ têi Mormoî
Accusative	τὴν Μορμώ tḕn Mormṓ
Vocative	Μορμοῖ Mormoî
Notes:	This table gives Attic inflectional endings. For declension in other dialects, see Appendix:Ancient Greek dialectal declension.

Descendants

English: Mormo, mormo
Greek: Μορμώ (Mormó)
Latin: Mormo

References

Beekes, Robert S. P. (2010) Etymological Dictionary of Greek (Leiden Indo-European Etymological Dictionary Series; 10), with the assistance of Lucien van Beek, Leiden, Boston: Brill, →ISBN, page 967
Martirosyan, Hrach (2010) Etymological Dictionary of the Armenian Inherited Lexicon (Leiden Indo-European Etymological Dictionary Series; 8), Leiden and Boston: Brill, pages 478-480