μυσά μιαρά

Grammatical information: n.

Meaning: `pollution, defilement, horrible figure' (Emp., trag., Hp.).

Compounds: Few compp., e.g. χερομυσής `polluting the hands' (A. Ch. 73) with verbal interpretation of the 2. member (cf. Schwyzer 513), μυσ-αχθής `burdened by μύσος, horrible' (Nic., AP).

Derivatives: Adj. μυσαρός `polluted, defiled, horrible' (Hdt., E., Ar.), - ερός (Man.), cf. μιαρός, - ερός; with μυσαρία (Sm.); also μυσά μιαρά, μεμιασμένα, μυσαρά H. -- Verbs: 1. μυσάττο-μαι, - αχθῆναι, - άξασθαι `feel defiled, loathe, abhor' (Hp., E., X., Luc.); with μύσαγμα = μύσος (A. Supp. 995) and the expressive μυσάχνη f. `prostitute' (Archil. 184), = μισητή, ἀκάθαρτος H., μυσαχνόν μεμολυσμένον H., cf. βδελύττομαι: βδελυχρός and Debrunner IF 21, 217. -- 2. μυσάζω = μυσάττομαι (Aq.). -- 3. μυσιάω `abhor, loathe' (Corn.), after the verbs of disease in - ιάω (Schwyzer 732). -- With velar enlargement μύσκος μίασμα, κῆδος H.; cf. μίαχος s. μιαίνω.

Origin: XX [etym. unknown]

Etymology: As to the formation recalling μῖσος, but without certain etymology. Since Benfey (s. Curtius 336) as *μύδ-σ-ος connected with μυδάω `be moist, putrid' "was eigentlich nicht viel besagt" (Frisk). Isolated words meaning `unclean v.t.' from Celt., Germ. and Slav. are compared in WP. 2, 251 and Pok. 742, e.g. OIr. mosach (\< * mudsāko-), LGerm. mussig `dirty', Russ. múslitь `suck, beslaver' (cf. Vasmer s.v.). S. also W.-Hofmann s. mustus.

Page in Frisk: 2,276-277