μασήσασθαι

μασάομαι

chew: aor inf mid (attic ionic)

Grammatical information: v.

Meaning: `chew, bite' (Hp., com., Arist.).

Other forms: aor. μασήσασθαι.

Compounds: Also with prefix, e.g. δια-, κατα-.

Derivatives: ( δια-) μάσημα `bite' (Hp., Antiph., Thphr.), ( δια-)μάσησις `chewing' (Thphr., Dsc.), μασητήρ "chewer", `muscle of the lower jaw' (Hp.), παρα-μασήτης "help-chewer", ' παράσιτος, parasite' (midd. Com.). Besides παραμασύντης `id.' (midd. Com.; μασύντης H.), Μασυντίας PN (Ar.) from *μασύνω; cf. μοσσύνειν μασᾶσθαι βραδέως H. and Fraenkel Nom. ag. 2, 61 (Chantr. corrects to μασ-, which may be right or wrong; the variation might point to Pre-Greek.

Origin: PG [a word of Pre-Greek origin]

Etymology: The meaning of μασάομαι suggests an iterative -intensive deverbativ, from a primary yot-present (cf. φῡράω to φύ̄ρω from *φῠρ-ι̯ω, Schwyzer 719). Besides *μασύνω as innovation (after ἁπαλύνω etc.; diff. interpretation s. ματτύη). From μάθυιαι γνάθοι H. (cf. αἴθυια: αἴθω) we get a stem μαθ-, which got a το-suffix in μάσταξ (\< μαθ-τ-); s. v. -- A remarkable formal similarity is shown by synonymous Lat. mandō, - ere `chew', which can represent a nasalized IE * madh- (= μαθ-), cf. Leumann Lat. Gr. 313). If Germ., e.g. OHG mindel, OWNo. mēl n. `bit of the bridle' (IE * ment-), Goth. munÞs 'mouth' (IE *mn̥t-) would belong here, μαθ- could be the zero grade of it (with aspiration of the tenuis); but they must rather be connected with Welsh mant `jaw, mouth', Lat. mentum `jaw'. Doubtful is the rendering of Skt. math- (mostly `beat up, stir, rub') with `tear up, feed on' in AV 5, 8, 4 etc. (Specht Ursprung 254 after Oertel), s. Narten IIJ 4, 121 f., where a math-'tear away, rob' is assumed. An IE * menth- `chew, bit, mouth' (WP. 2, 270, Pok. 732f.), then, is not at all ascertained. -- Quite diff. on μασάομαι Sommer IF 11. 266 (from IE *mad-si̯ā- to Goth. mats `food' etc.; morphologically doubtful). Albanian combinations in Mann Lang. 17, 20. - However, the form μοσσυνειν seems to prove Pre-Greek origin.

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