ἀστράγαλος

See also: αστράγαλος

Ancient Greek

Etymology

Generally considered to be a derivation in "-λ-" of ὀστέον (ostéon, “bone”), but this cannot be correct. According to Beekes, it is probably a Pre-Greek word. Compare ὄστρακον (óstrakon).

Pronunciation

 

• IPA^(key): /as.trá.ɡa.los/ → /asˈtra.ɣa.los/ → /asˈtra.ɣa.los/

• (5^th BCE Attic) IPA^(key): /as.trá.ɡa.los/
• (1^st CE Egyptian) IPA^(key): /asˈtra.ɡa.los/
• (4^th CE Koine) IPA^(key): /asˈtra.ɣa.los/
• (10^th CE Byzantine) IPA^(key): /asˈtra.ɣa.los/
• (15^th CE Constantinopolitan) IPA^(key): /asˈtra.ɣa.los/

Noun

ἀστράγᾰλος • (astrágălos) m (genitive ἀστρᾰγάλου); second declension

1. one of the vertebrae, especially of the neck
2. the ball of the ankle joint
3. (in the plural) dice, or a game played with them
4. a moulding in the capital of an Ionic column
5. black bitter vetch (Lathyrus niger)
6. a measure used by physicians

Inflection

Case / #	Singular	Dual	Plural
Nominative	ὁ ᾰ̓στρᾰ́γᾰλος ho ăstrắgălos	τὼ ᾰ̓στρᾰγᾰ́λω tṑ ăstrăgắlō	οἱ ᾰ̓στρᾰ́γᾰλοι hoi ăstrắgăloi
Genitive	τοῦ ᾰ̓στρᾰγᾰ́λου toû ăstrăgắlou	τοῖν ᾰ̓στρᾰγᾰ́λοιν toîn ăstrăgắloin	τῶν ᾰ̓στρᾰγᾰ́λων tôn ăstrăgắlōn
Dative	τῷ ᾰ̓στρᾰγᾰ́λῳ tôi ăstrăgắlōi	τοῖν ᾰ̓στρᾰγᾰ́λοιν toîn ăstrăgắloin	τοῖς ᾰ̓στρᾰγᾰ́λοις toîs ăstrăgắlois
Accusative	τὸν ᾰ̓στρᾰ́γᾰλον tòn ăstrắgălon	τὼ ᾰ̓στρᾰγᾰ́λω tṑ ăstrăgắlō	τοὺς ᾰ̓στρᾰγᾰ́λους toùs ăstrăgắlous
Vocative	ᾰ̓στρᾰ́γᾰλε ăstrắgăle	ᾰ̓στρᾰγᾰ́λω ăstrăgắlō	ᾰ̓στρᾰ́γᾰλοι ăstrắgăloi
Notes:	This table gives Attic inflectional endings. For declension in other dialects, see Appendix:Ancient Greek dialectal declension.

Second declension of ὁ ᾰ̓στρᾰ́γᾰλος; τοῦ ᾰ̓στρᾰγᾰ́λου (Attic)

Derived terms

• ἀστραγαλῖνος (astragalînos)
• ἀστραγαλίσκος (astragalískos)
• ἀστραγαλωτή (astragalōtḗ)
• ἀστραγαλωτός (astragalōtós)

Descendants

• Greek: αστράγαλος (astrágalos)
• Translingual: Astragalus

Further reading

• “ἀστράγαλος”, in Liddell & Scott (1940) A Greek–English Lexicon, Oxford: Clarendon Press
• “ἀστράγαλος”, in Liddell & Scott (1889) An Intermediate Greek–English Lexicon, New York: Harper & Brothers
• “ἀστράγαλος”, in Autenrieth, Georg (1891) A Homeric Dictionary for Schools and Colleges, New York: Harper and Brothers
• ἀστράγαλος in Bailly, Anatole (1935) Le Grand Bailly: Dictionnaire grec-français, Paris: Hachette
• ἀστράγαλος in Cunliffe, Richard J. (1924) A Lexicon of the Homeric Dialect: Expanded Edition, Norman: University of Oklahoma Press, published 1963
• ἀστράγαλος in the Diccionario Griego–Español en línea (2006–2025)
• 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