δαματρίζειν+τὸ+συνάγειν+τὸν+δημητριακὸν+καρπόν

Grammatical information: f.

Meaning: the Greek mother goddess (Il.). See further Schwyzer 567f., Sommer Nominalkomp. 147,

Dialectal forms: Though one might expect the name in Myc., it happens not to be found. Δαμάτηρ (Dor. etc.), also Δωμάτηρ, Δαμμάτερι (Thess.),

Derivatives: Δημήτριος `belonging to D.' (A.), also as PN, from which the months name Δημητριών (Attica); Δημητρίεια pl. `feast for Demeter' (Samos IV^a; after Άσκληπίεια a.o.), Δημήτρια pl. also `feast for Demetrios'; Δημητριασταί N. of the worshippers of Demeter (Ephesos; cf. Άπολλωνιασταί etc.); Δημητριακός `belonging to Demeter or Demetrios' (D. S.); Δημήτρειοι pl. name of the dead (Plu.). - Denomin. δαματρίζειν τὸ συνάγειν τὸν Δημητριακὸν καρπόν. Κύπριοι H. - Short form Δηώ (h. Cer. etc.) with Δηῳ̃ος and Δηωΐνη `daughter of D.'.

Origin: XX [etym. unknown]

Etymology: By Kretschmer Wien. Stud. 24, 523ff., Glotta 17, 240 taken as "Mother Earth", from δᾶ, a kind of `Lallwort', perhaps Pre-Greek `Earth', and μάτηρ. There is however, no indication that δᾶ (s.v.) means `earth' (though it has also been assumed in the name Poseidon). Nach Ehrlich Betonung 62ff. (with Fraenkel Lexis 3, 50ff.), from *Δασ-μάτηρ, from IE *dm̥s-, gen. of * dem- `house' (cf. δεσπότης); rightly rejected by Kretschmer Glotta 6, 294. Pisani IF 53, 28ff. and Georgiev Urgriechen und Illyrier (Sofia 1937) 9ff., 20ff. consider the word, like Δαμία, Δμία etc. as Illyrian and compare Alb. dhe `earth' (s. χθών); rejected by Kretschmer Glotta 27, 31. Acc. to Carnoy Mélanges Bidez 71ff. Δη- is only a different development of γῆ. Cf. Fraenkel Glotta 3, 58f. (also on Δαμία, Μνία); diff. on these words (to δόμος etc.) Danielsson Eranos 1, 79f. - Cf. Messap. damatura, prob. name of a goddess (Krahe Sprache der Illyr. 1, 82); the Mess. word must be an adaptation of the Greek name; cf. Δειπάτυρος s. Ζεύς). - Heubeck, Praegraeca 75-8 starts from `Phryg.' Γδαν-μαυα\/ Γδανμαα, and sees in the first element a cognate of Gr. χθών; he suggests that the form Δω(μ-) goes back on *ghdhōn-. However, he connects the whole with his Minoan-Minyan hypothesis (a separate IE language), which is unconvincing. - On Demeter Nilsson Gr. Rel. 1, 456ff.