Cognate Set 6209 – Meaning: ant

IE-CoR reference form:
*melit-
IE-CoR reference language:
Proto-Indo-European
Ideophonic:
no
Parallel derivation:
no
Justification:
Probably to be derived from the inherited word for 'honey' μέλι < PIE *melit- (Andriotis 1974:370, cf. Beekes 2010:925-926). Regarding the IE 'honey', cf. EIEC 271.
Found in clades:
Hellenic
Revised by:
Matthew Scarborough
Found in 1 clade by 2 lexemes.
Language Lexeme Native script Phonetic Phonemic Notes
11   Greek: Cypriot límpoyros λίμπουρος ˈlimburɔs ˈlimpurɔs
13   Tsakonian: Peloponnese meligkóni μελιγκόνι me̞ʎiˈŋɡo̞ɲi me̞ʎiˈnko̞ɲi
References
  • Andriotis, Nikolaos: 370
    S.v. *μελιγκόνια τὰ: μελιγκόνι τὸ (Sam, Tsakon, etc). λίγκόνι Tsakon 'Ameise'. Elsewhere compare NGr. μελίτακας, ὁ, μυρμήγγι τὸ.
  • Babinotis, George: 835
    Cf. MG μελίγκρα ‘aphid’ < AG μελί-κηρα.
  • Beekes, Robert: 925-926
    Cf. s.v. AGk. μέλι 'honey' < PIE *melit- 'honey' (cf. Hitt. milit- < *melit-; Goth. miliϸ, Alb. mjaltë < *melit-o-; OIr. mil, Lat. mel < probably *meli-t-).
  • Liosis, Nikos:
    (με)λιγκόνι. Andriotis (1974:370) proposes a reconstructed n.pl. *μελιγκόνια. If the first part of the word is μέλι(τ)- ‘honey’, it could be related to Hellenistic μελίτ-αξ > MG μελίτακας ‘ant’ (Andriotis 1983:203), and possibly to Cypriot (με)λίμπουρος ‘ant’ (Christodoulou 1963). Cf. MG μελίγκρα ‘aphid’ < AG μελί-κηρα (Babiniotis 2009:835).