γάλα

See also: Appendix:Variations of "gala"

Ancient Greek

Alternative forms

  • γλᾰ́γος (glắgos)Epic

Etymology

Possibly inherited from Proto-Indo-European *gláktn̥ (milk) (compare Latin lact, Old Armenian կաթն (katʻn), Albanian dhallë), earlier *glákt (or, if the Hittite cognate is valid, *gláktr̥), perhaps from a root *glag- +‎ *-tr̥, but the phonetic irregularities, presence of *a, and Mediterranean distribution of this word have cast doubt on its existence in PIE. Instead, it may have been borrowed from an agricultural wanderword related to or descended from Hittite 𒂵𒌨𒋻 (galaktar, soothing substance, nutrient), itself possibly derived from 𒅗𒆷𒀭𒃰𒁺 (galank-, to soothe), from Proto-Indo-European *gleǵʰ- (soft, weak); cf. Bulgarian гле́зя (glézja, to pamper).[1] However, Beekes doubts that there is any connection with the Hittite.[2]

The variant γλᾰ́γος (glắgos) was contracted from the second oblique stem.

Pronunciation

 

Noun

γᾰ́λᾰ • (gắlăn (genitive γᾰ́λᾰκτος or γᾰ́λᾰκος); third declension

  1. milk
  2. milky sap
  3. the Milky Way galaxy

Declension

Derived terms

Descendants

  • Greek: γάλα (gála)
  • Mariupol Greek: га́ла (hála)

References

  1. ^ Kloekhorst, Alwin (2008), “kalank-i”, in Etymological Dictionary of the Hittite Inherited Lexicon (Leiden Indo-European Etymological Dictionary Series; 5), Leiden, Boston: Brill, →ISBN, page 428
  2. ^ Beekes, Robert S. P. (2010), “γάλα”, in Etymological Dictionary of Greek (Leiden Indo-European Etymological Dictionary Series; 10), with the assistance of Lucien van Beek, Leiden, Boston: Brill, →ISBN, page 256:IE *glkt(-)

Further reading

Greek

Etymology

From Ancient Greek γάλα (gála), from Proto-Indo-European *glakt-, *galakt-.

Cognate with Mariupol Greek га́ла (hála).

Pronunciation

  • IPA(key): [ˈɣala]
  • Hyphenation: γά‧λα

Noun

γάλα • (gálan (plural γάλατα)

  1. milk
    κατσικίσιο γάλαkatsikísio gálagoat's milk

Declension

Declension of γάλα
singular plural
nominative γάλα (gála) γάλατα (gálata)
genitive γάλακτος (gálaktos) γαλάτων (galáton)
accusative γάλα (gála) γάλατα (gálata)
vocative γάλα (gála) γάλατα (gálata)


The genitive singular and plural are rare.

Coordinate terms

Further reading