θῆλυς

Ancient Greek

Etymology

From Proto-Indo-European *dʰeh₁-lu-s, from *dʰeh₁(y)- (“to suck”). One especially close cognate is Sanskrit धारु (dhārú, “suckling”); others include Latin fēmina, fētus, fīlius, Sanskrit धयति (dhayati), Avestan 𐬛𐬀𐬉𐬥𐬎 (daēnu), Old Armenian դիեմ (diem), Old Church Slavonic доити (doiti). See also θηλή (thēlḗ, “breast, nipple”).^[1]

The "abundant" sense may be related to θάλλω (thállō, “to flourish”). (Can this⁽⁺⁾ etymology be sourced?)

Pronunciation

 

• IPA^(key): /tʰɛ̂ː.lys/ → /ˈθi.lys/ → /ˈθi.lis/

• (5^th BCE Attic) IPA^(key): /tʰɛ̂ː.lys/
• (1^st CE Egyptian) IPA^(key): /ˈtʰe̝.lys/
• (4^th CE Koine) IPA^(key): /ˈθi.lys/
• (10^th CE Byzantine) IPA^(key): /ˈθi.lys/
• (15^th CE Constantinopolitan) IPA^(key): /ˈθi.lis/

Adjective

θῆλῠς • (thêlus) m (feminine θήλειᾰ, neuter θῆλῠ); first/third declension

1. female

   θήλεια θεός/θεᾱ́ ― thḗleia theós/theā́ ― goddess (literally, “female god”)

   • 460 BCE – 420 BCE, Herodotus, Histories 3.66.2:

     Καμβύσεα τὸν Κύρου, […] ἄπαιδα τὸ παράπαν ἐόντα ἔρσενος καὶ θήλεος γόνου

     Kambúsea tòn Kúrou, […] ápaida tò parápan eónta érsenos kaì thḗleos gónou

     […] Cambyses son of Cyrus, who […] was altogether childless, without male or female issue.

2. of or belonging to women, womanly, feminine
   • 800 BCE – 600 BCE, Homer, Odyssey 6.122:

     ὥς τέ με κουράων ἀμφήλυθε θῆλυς ἀϋτή

     hṓs té me kouráōn amphḗluthe thêlus aütḗ

     There rang in my ears a womanly cry, as of maidens.

3. soft, gentle
   • 800 BCE – 600 BCE, Homer, Odyssey 5.467:

     μή μ’ ἄμυδις στίβη τε κακὴ καὶ θῆλυς ἐέρση

     mḗ m’ ámudis stíbē te kakḕ kaì thêlus eérsē

     I fear that together the bitter frost and the gentle dew may overcome me.

4. tender, delicate
   • 431 BCE, Euripides, Medea 928:

     γυνὴ δὲ θῆλυ κἀπὶ δακρύοις ἔφυ

     gunḕ dè thêlu kapì dakrúois éphu

     But a woman is by nature delicate and prone to tears.

5. female (having an internal socket, into which another part fits)
   • ante 177 CE, Pollux, Onomasticon 2.180
   • 93 CE – 94 CE, Josephus, Antiquities of the Jews 3.6.3
6. (grammar) feminine
   • 423 BCE, Aristophanes, The Clouds 682
   • 384 BCE – 322 BCE, Aristotle, Poetics 1458a.10
7. (mathematics) even
   • 46 CE – 120 CE, Plutarch, Moralia 264a
   • 46 CE – 120 CE, Plutarch, Moralia 288d
8. (astrology) negative or feminine sign (one of Taurus, Cancer, Virgo, Scorpio, Capricorn, or Pisces)
9. abundant

Inflection

Number		Singular				Dual				Plural
Case/Gender		Masculine	Feminine	Neuter		Masculine	Feminine	Neuter		Masculine	Feminine	Neuter
Nominative		θῆλῠς thêlus	θήλειᾰ thḗleia	θῆλῠ thêlu		θήλεε thḗlee	θηλείᾱ thēleíā	θήλεε thḗlee		θήλεις thḗleis	θήλειαι thḗleiai	θήλη / θήλεᾰ thḗlē / thḗlea
Genitive		θήλεος thḗleos	θηλείᾱς thēleíās	θήλεος thḗleos		θηλέοιν thēléoin	θηλείαιν thēleíain	θηλέοιν thēléoin		θηλέων thēléōn	θηλειῶν thēleiôn	θηλέων thēléōn
Dative		θήλει thḗlei	θηλείᾳ thēleíāi	θήλει thḗlei		θηλέοιν thēléoin	θηλείαιν thēleíain	θηλέοιν thēléoin		θήλεσῐ / θήλεσῐν thḗlesi(n)	θηλείαις thēleíais	θήλεσῐ / θήλεσῐν thḗlesi(n)
Accusative		θῆλῠν thêlun	θήλειᾰν thḗleian	θῆλῠ thêlu		θήλεε thḗlee	θηλείᾱ thēleíā	θήλεε thḗlee		θήλεις thḗleis	θηλείᾱς thēleíās	θήλη / θήλεᾰ thḗlē / thḗlea
Vocative		θῆλῠ thêlu	θήλειᾰ thḗleia	θῆλῠ thêlu		θήλεε thḗlee	θηλείᾱ thēleíā	θήλεε thḗlee		θήλεις thḗleis	θήλειαι thḗleiai	θήλη / θήλεᾰ thḗlē / thḗlea
Derived forms		Adverb				Comparative				Superlative
		θηλέως thēléōs				θηλῠ́τερος thēlúteros				θηλῠ́τᾰτος thēlútatos
Notes:		This table gives Attic inflectional endings. For declension in other dialects, see Appendix:Ancient Greek dialectal declension.

First and third declension of θῆλῠς; θήλειᾰ; θῆλῠ (Attic)

Number		Singular				Dual				Plural
Case/Gender		Masculine	Feminine	Neuter		Masculine	Feminine	Neuter		Masculine	Feminine	Neuter
Nominative		θῆλῠς thêlus	θήλειᾰ thḗleia	θῆλῠ thêlu		θήλεε thḗlee	θηλείᾱ thēleíā	θήλεε thḗlee		θήλεις thḗleis	θήλειαι thḗleiai	θήλη / θήλεᾰ thḗlē / thḗlea
Genitive		θήλεος thḗleos	θηλείης thēleíēs	θήλεος thḗleos		θηλέοιν thēléoin	θηλείαιν thēleíain	θηλέοιν thēléoin		θηλέων thēléōn	θηλειέων / θηλειῶν thēleiéōn / thēleiôn	θηλέων thēléōn
Dative		θήλει thḗlei	θηλείῃ thēleíēi	θήλει thḗlei		θηλέοιν thēléoin	θηλείαιν thēleíain	θηλέοιν thēléoin		θήλεσῐ / θήλεσῐν thḗlesi(n)	θηλείῃσῐ / θηλείῃσῐν thēleíēisi(n)	θήλεσῐ / θήλεσῐν thḗlesi(n)
Accusative		θῆλῠν thêlun	θήλειᾰν thḗleian	θῆλῠ thêlu		θήλεε thḗlee	θηλείᾱ thēleíā	θήλεε thḗlee		θήλεις thḗleis	θηλείᾱς thēleíās	θήλη / θήλεᾰ thḗlē / thḗlea
Vocative		θῆλῠ thêlu	θήλειᾰ thḗleia	θῆλῠ thêlu		θήλεε thḗlee	θηλείᾱ thēleíā	θήλεε thḗlee		θήλεις thḗleis	θήλειαι thḗleiai	θήλη / θήλεᾰ thḗlē / thḗlea
Derived forms		Adverb				Comparative				Superlative
		θηλέως thēléōs				θηλῠ́τερος thēlúteros				θηλῠ́τᾰτος thēlútatos
Notes:		Dialects other than Attic are not well attested. Some forms may be based on conjecture. Use with caution.

First and third declension of θῆλῠς; θήλειᾰ; θῆλῠ (Ionic)

Number		Singular				Dual				Plural
Case/Gender		Masculine	Feminine	Neuter		Masculine	Feminine	Neuter		Masculine	Feminine	Neuter
Nominative		θῆλῠς thêlus	θήλειᾰ thḗleia	θῆλῠ thêlu		θήλεε thḗlee	θηλείᾱ thēleíā	θήλεε thḗlee		θήλεες thḗlees	θήλειαι thḗleiai	θήλη / θήλεᾰ thḗlē / thḗlea
Genitive		θήλεος thḗleos	θηλείης thēleíēs	θήλεος thḗleos		θηλέοιῐν thēléoiin	θηλείαιν / θηλείαιῐν / θηλείῃῐν thēleíai(i)n / thēleíēiin	θηλέοιῐν thēléoiin		θηλέων thēléōn	θηλειᾱ́ων / θηλειέ͜ων / θηλειῶν thēleiā́ōn / thēleié͜ōn / thēleiôn	θηλέων thēléōn
Dative		θήλει thḗlei	θηλείῃ thēleíēi	θήλει thḗlei		θηλέοιῐν thēléoiin	θηλείαιν / θηλείαιῐν / θηλείῃῐν thēleíai(i)n / thēleíēiin	θηλέοιῐν thēléoiin		θηλέεσσῐ / θηλέεσσῐν / θηλέεσῐ / θηλέεσῐν / θήλεσῐ / θήλεσῐν thēléessi(n) / thēléesi(n) / thḗlesi(n)	θηλείῃσῐ / θηλείῃσῐν / θηλείῃς / θηλείαις thēleíēisi(n) / thēleíēis / thēleíais	θηλέεσσῐ / θηλέεσσῐν / θηλέεσῐ / θηλέεσῐν / θήλεσῐ / θήλεσῐν thēléessi(n) / thēléesi(n) / thḗlesi(n)
Accusative		θῆλῠν thêlun	θήλειᾰν thḗleian	θῆλῠ thêlu		θήλεε thḗlee	θηλείᾱ thēleíā	θήλεε thḗlee		θήλεᾰς thḗleas	θηλείᾱς thēleíās	θήλη / θήλεᾰ thḗlē / thḗlea
Vocative		θῆλῠ thêlu	θήλειᾰ thḗleia	θῆλῠ thêlu		θήλεε thḗlee	θηλείᾱ thēleíā	θήλεε thḗlee		θήλεες thḗlees	θήλειαι thḗleiai	θήλη / θήλεᾰ thḗlē / thḗlea
Derived forms		Adverb				Comparative				Superlative
		θηλέως thēléōs				θηλῠ́τερος thēlúteros				θηλῠ́τᾰτος thēlútatos
Notes:		Dialects other than Attic are not well attested. Some forms may be based on conjecture. Use with caution.

First and third declension of θῆλῠς; θήλειᾰ; θῆλῠ (Epic)

This is one of the two non-compounded adjectives in -ύς, -εῖα, -ύ, along with ἥμισυς (hḗmisus), that have a recessive accent. See also ἐλαχύς (elakhús), λιγύς (ligús).

Antonyms

• ἄρσην (ársēn)

Derived terms

• ἄθηλυς (áthēlus)
• ἀνδρόθηλυς (andróthēlus)
• ἀρσενόθηλυς (arsenóthēlus)
• ἡμίθηλυς (hēmíthēlus)
• θηλυγενής (thēlugenḗs)
• θηλύγλωσσος (thēlúglōssos)
• θηλυγονέω (thēlugonéō)
• θηλυγονία (thēlugonía)
• θηλυγόνος (thēlugónos)
• θηλυδρίας (thēludrías)
• θηλυδριώδης (thēludriṓdēs)
• θηλυδριῶτις (thēludriôtis)
• θηλυκός (thēlukós)
• θηλυκράνεια (thēlukráneia)
• θηλυκρατής (thēlukratḗs)
• θηλυκτόνος (thēluktónos)
• θηλυκώδης (thēlukṓdēs)
• θηλύλαλος (thēlúlalos)
• θηλυμανέω (thēlumanéō)
• θηλυμανής (thēlumanḗs)
• θηλυμελής (thēlumelḗs)
• θηλυμίτρης (thēlumítrēs)
• θηλύμορφος (thēlúmorphos)
• θηλύνοος (thēlúnoos)
• θηλύνω (thēlúnō)
• θηλύπαθεω (thēlúpatheō)
• θηλύπαις (thēlúpais)
• θηλυποιός (thēlupoiós)
• θηλύπους (thēlúpous)
• θηλυπρεπής (thēluprepḗs)
• θηλύπρινος (thēlúprinos)
• θηλυπρόσωπος (thēluprósōpos)
• θηλυπτερίς (thēlupterís)
• θηλύσπορος (thēlúsporos)
• θηλυστολέω (thēlustoléō)
• θηλυστολία (thēlustolía)
• θηλύστολος (thēlústolos)
• θηλύτεκνος (thēlúteknos)
• θηλύτης (thēlútēs)
• θηλυτοκέω (thēlutokéō)
• θηλυτοκία (thēlutokía)
• θηλύτοκος (thēlútokos)
• θηλύτροπος (thēlútropos)
• θηλυφανής (thēluphanḗs)
• θηλυφθόριον (thēluphthórion)
• θηλυφόνον (thēluphónon)
• θηλυφόνος (thēluphónos)
• θηλύφρων (thēlúphrōn)
• θηλύφωνος (thēlúphōnos)
• θηλύχειρ (thēlúkheir)
• θηλυχίτων (thēlukhítōn)
• θηλυχοίρα (thēlukhoíra)
• θηλύψυχος (thēlúpsukhos)
• μιξόθηλυς (mixóthēlus)
• Πάνθηλυς (Pánthēlus)
• ὑπόθηλυς (hupóthēlus)
• φιλόθηλυς (philóthēlus)

 

See also

• Negative sign on Wikipedia.Wikipedia

References

1. Beekes, Robert S. P. (2010) “θῆλυς”, in Etymological Dictionary of Greek (Leiden Indo-European Etymological Dictionary Series; 10), with the assistance of Lucien van Beek, Leiden, Boston: Brill, →ISBN, pages 546-7

Further reading

• “θῆλυς”, in Liddell & Scott (1940) A Greek–English Lexicon, Oxford: Clarendon Press
• “θῆλυς”, in Liddell & Scott (1889) An Intermediate Greek–English Lexicon, New York: Harper & Brothers
• “θῆλυς”, in Autenrieth, Georg (1891) A Homeric Dictionary for Schools and Colleges, New York: Harper and Brothers
• θῆλυς in Bailly, Anatole (1935) Le Grand Bailly: Dictionnaire grec-français, Paris: Hachette
• Bauer, Walter et al. (2001) A Greek–English Lexicon of the New Testament and Other Early Christian Literature, Third edition, Chicago: University of Chicago Press
• θῆλυς in Cunliffe, Richard J. (1924) A Lexicon of the Homeric Dialect: Expanded Edition, Norman: University of Oklahoma Press, published 1963
• “θῆλυς”, in Slater, William J. (1969) Lexicon to Pindar, Berlin: Walter de Gruyter
• G2338 in Strong, James (1979) Strong’s Exhaustive Concordance to the Bible
• Woodhouse, S. C. (1910) English–Greek Dictionary: A Vocabulary of the Attic Language‎, London: Routledge & Kegan Paul Limited.
  • female idem, page 315.
  • feminine idem, page 315.
  • sex idem, page 759.
  • tender idem, page 861.
• “θῆλυς”, in ΛΟΓΕΙΟΝ [Logeion] (in English, French, Spanish, German, Dutch and Chinese), University of Chicago, 2011