glôssa

Ancient Greek

Alternative forms

• γλάσσᾰ (glássa) — Ionic
• γλῶττᾰ (glôtta) — Attic

Etymology

From Proto-Hellenic *glṓťťā; further etymology uncertain. Per Beekes, perhaps originally “provided with a point”, equivalent to γλῶχες (glôkhes, “beard of corn”) +‎ -ια (-ia), from Proto-Indo-European *glṓgʰs ~ *gl̥gʰós (“point”) (assuming cognacy with Proto-Slavic *glogъ (“thorn, hawthorn”), but the connection is disputed). Alternatively, related to Proto-Germanic *tulgaz (“tongue”), a poetic word, from a different Proto-Indo-European root noun *dlṓgʰs ~ *dl̥gʰós; compare γλυκύς (glukús) for the phonetics.

Pronunciation

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• IPA^(key): /ɡlɔ̂ːs.sa/ → /ˈɣlos.sa/ → /ˈɣlo.sa/

Noun

γλῶσσᾰ • (glôssa) f (genitive γλώσσης); first declension(Ionic)

1. (anatomy) The tongue.
2. A language.
3. Anything shaped like the tongue:
   1. (music) The mouthpiece of a pipe.
   2. The tongue or thong of leather, shoe-latchet.
   3. The tongue of land.
   4. Ingot.
   5. (divination) The marking on the liver.