νειότατον κατώτατον

νειότατον· κατώτατον, Hsch.

Grammatical information: f.

Meaning: `fallow field' (Hom., Hes., Call., Arist., Thphr.); on the meaning below.

Other forms: also νεός (X., Amorgos IV^a), νειά (Amorgos IV^a), νεά or νέα (Thphr., Att. inscr.).

Derivatives: Besides, in meaning quite deviating, the adv. νει-όθεν `from below (K 10, hell. poet.), νει-όθε `id.' (poet. inscr. III^p, Luc.), νει-όθι `below' (Φ 317, Hes. Th. 567, hell. poet.). -- Sup. νείατος (ep.), νέατος, Arc. νήατος, H. νῆτος `most below, utmost' (Il.), after ἔσχατος, πύματος, cf. μέσος: μέσατος; f. νεάτη (Cratin., Pl.), contr. νήτη (Arist., Ptol.), sc. χορδή `the lowest string' (with the highest tone); νειότατον κατώτατον H.; also νήϊστος in νήϊστα ἔσχατα, κατώτατα H., prob also in Νήϊσται (Boeot. -ϊτται) πύλαι in Thebes (A. Th. 460, E. Ph. 1104). -- Fem. νείαιρα ( νέαιρα Simon.) `the lowest', as subst. (sc. γαστήρ) `belly, abdomen' (Il., Hp., hell.), cf. γέραιρα a.o. (Chantraine Form. 104, 234; cf. also Benveniste Origines 112); contr. νεῖρα (A. Ag. 1479, E. Rh. 794 [readings not quite certain], H.), here m. νειρός (Lyc., H.) with f. νειρη κοίλη κοιλία ἐσχάτη H. (Schwyzer 475). Cf. on the whole Schwyzer 503. -- Denomin. νεάω `plough a fallow land' (Hes. Op. 462, com., Thphr.), early connected with νέος `new', if not even derived from it, cf. on νέος; νεατός m. `working of fallow land' (X. Oik. 7, 20; like ἀλοατός), νέασις f. `id.' (Thphr.) with νεάσιμος (Gloss.; Arbenz 87).

Origin: IE [Indo-European] [312] * ni- `(be)low'

Etymology: If νειόθεν, νείατος, νείαιρα are at all cognate with νειός, νειός (sc. γῆ, χώρα), it must have meant prop. *'lying low, lowlying plain'; the meaning `fallow land', which is also possible for Homer, but not compulsory (rather `field, plain' ?), could rest on the early connection with νέος `new'; cf. Lat. novalis, -e `fallow land'. -- Except for the ending νειός \< *νειϜός can be identical with a Slavic word fur `field', e.g. OCS njiva (with dark nj-), Russ. níva f., IE *neiu̯ó-s (Slav. -ā secondary); Fick BB 1, 335f., Schulze KZ 27, 603f. (= Kl. Schr. 373f.). If we separate a formantic u̯o-element, we can connect the IE adv. *ni `low' in Skt. ní etc.; here a.o. OHG ni-dar `to below', OE neowol `slanting' from * ni-wol (cf. νει-Ϝό-ς). The writing νη- in νήϊστος, νήατος is not convincingly explained. As old lengthened grade, esp. in a superlative, is very improbable, the η must be secondary. Hypotheses in Seiler Steigerungsformen 110ff., esp. on Νήϊται πύλαι; s. also WP. 2, 335 (= Pok. 313: η = closed ē from ει before palat. vowel?). On the Slav. words s. also Vasmer s. níva, with other explanations. -- Cf. also νέατος s. νέος.

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