οἰσπαι προβάτων κόπρος

Grammatical information: f. (Hdt. 4, 187, Hp.)

Meaning: `the greasy extract of sheep's wool' (Hdt. 4, 187, Hp.); cf. Dsc. below with extensive description of the preparation; after H. = ὁ τῆς οἰὸς ῥύπος).

Other forms: οἴσυπος m. (Dsc. 2, 74, Plin., H.); οἶσπαι προβάτων κόπρος, ῥύπος H.; οἴσπη v.l. Hdt. 4, 187, Gal., Suid.

Derivatives: οἰσυπ-ίς f. `greasy flock of wool' (Hp.), - ηρός (Ar.), - όεις, - ώδης (Hp.) `greasy, of wool'; - ον = λάδανον (Plin.); οἰσύπειον ἔριον ῥυπαρὸν προβάτων H.

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

Etymology: Explained as *ὀϜι-σύπη, like the synonymous οἰσπώτη (s. v.), with unclear 2. member. Meaningless suppositions by Prellwitz s. v. and v. Blumenthal Hesychst. 43. - There is clear evidence for the variant οἴσπ-η, but it is difficult to decide whether the υ is secondary or the form without it; cf. Furnée 188 n. 22 on θαλ(υ)π-. In any case the word is most probably Pre-Greek (meaning!). One might also think of a labialized s, oisʷp-.

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Grammatical information: f.

Meaning: `greasy dirt of unshorn sheep's wool, esp. on the buttocks', also `sheep droppings' (Cratin., Ar., D.C., Poll.).

Other forms: (- ωτή Hdn. Gr. 1, 343, H. as μηλ-, κηρ-ωτή a.o.). Also οἴσπη (v. l. Hdt. 4, 187 [cf. οἰσύπη], Gal.), οἰσπαι προβάτων κόπρος, ῥύπος H.

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

Etymology: From *ὀϜι-σπωτη with unclear 2. member. Connection with the stemsyllable in σπατίλη `bowels, diarrhoea' (Meillet MSL 13, 291 f.) a.o. is uncertain, as the semantic function of σπα(τ)- needs explanation (cf. s. v.). Untenable further combinations in Bq and WP. 2, 683. - The word will rather be Pre-Greek; cf. the suffix - ωτ- in ἀσκαλαβώτης; s. further on οἰσύπη.

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