παλα(ι)στ-ιαῖος

Grammatical information: f.

Meaning: `flat of the hand, breadth of four fingers' (IA).

Other forms: - άστα (Aeol.), sec. - αιστή (after παλαίω?; Hp., Arist., pap.), also - αιστής m. (LXX, Hero Deff. a. Geom.; after μετρητής a.o.)

Compounds: As 2. member e.g. in τρι-πάλα(ι)στος `measuring three handbreadths' (IA., hell.).

Derivatives: παλα(ι)στ-ιαῖος `measuring a handbreadth' (IA., hell.).

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

Etymology: To the same verb for `spread out' as in παλάμη (s.v.), with the same old st-suffix as in several related words, e.g. ἀγοστός; s.v. w. further references. -- The word seems rather Pre-Greek, as is confirmed by the variation σ\/ισ (which prob. points to a palatal s^y); cf. Furnée 296. Cf. on λεπαστή (s.v. λέπας).

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