σκνῖφες

σκνίψ, ὁ, gen. σκνῑπός: nom. pl.

A

σκνῖφες LXX Ex.8.16(12)

, al., but

σκνῖπες Ps.104(105).31

; acc. σκνίπας [ῐ] Ezek.Exag. 135:—an insect found under the bark of trees, eaten by the woodpecker, Arist.HA 614b1, Sens. 444b12 (in both places with v.l. κνίψ, which is the form used by Thphr.), Plu.2.636d: from its quick jump comes the prov., ὁ σκνὶψ ἐν χώρᾳ ' a flea at home!' Stratt.70, Zen.5.35:—an insect which attacks vines, Gal.12.186. (Cf. Slav. sknipa 'gnat'.)

Grammatical information: m.

Meaning: name of unknown insects (acc. to Arist. Sens. 444b 12 small ants), that infest several trees and plants (Ar., Arist., Thphr., LXX).

Other forms: κνῑπός, also σκνίψ, σκνῖπός, pl. also σκνῖφες

Compounds: As 1. member in κνιπο-λόγος m. name of a woodpecker, σκνιπο-φάγος `eating σκνῖπες' (Arist.).

Derivatives: κνίπειος `belonging to a κνίψ' (Zos. Alch.). In remote or doubtful connection to κνίψ, σκνίψ there are several expressive, but in the literature only rarely found words, that indicate esp. niggardliness or different eye-diseases: κνιπός (AP), σκνιπός (Anon. in EN, H.), σκνιφός (Phryn.) `niggard'; with κνιπεύω `be niggardly' and κνιπεία (Doroth. Astrol.); further in the meaning `feeble-midedness etc.': κνιπός (Semon.), σκνιφός H., ὑπό-σκνιπος, - σκνιφος, - σχνιφος `slightly short-sighted' (pap.), κνιπά πτίλη H.; with κνιπότης `eye-inflammation' (Hp. Loc. Hom. 13, Erot.), κνιπόομαι `be inflamed, of the eyes' (H. in κεκνιπωμένοι), also `be infested with mildew, fire, of fruits' (H. ib.). Beside the names for eye-diseases etc. there are expressions for `dark': σκνιφαῖος (v. l. - παῖος) adjunt of ὁδίτης `who walks in the darkness ' (Theoc. 16, 93; after κνεφαῖος?), σκνῖφος τὸ σκότος H. - Further there are two denomin.: κνιπεῖν σείειν, ξύειν μέλαθρα καὶ δοκούς H. (prop. of the κνῖπες?), σκνίπτειν νύσσειν H.

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

Etymology: With κνίψ, σκνίψ rhyme θρίψ and ἴψ (s. vv.). Both ( σ)κνίψ and the words for `niggard' could go back to the idea of pinching and stinging (cf. σκνίπτω). Perh. the terms for weak-sight etc. might come from closing the eyes; or perh. from plant-diseases (caused by κνῖπες; s. κνιπόομαι). - One compares words for `pinching etc.' in Baltic and Germanic, e. g. Latv. kniêbt, knīpêt, MLDu. nipen; Pok. 562, Fraenkel Lit. et. Wb. s. kneĩbti. Wether they are real cognates, remains uncertain with these popular words. Cf. on - κναίω, κνίζω, κνύω. - Though the σ- could be an IE s-movable, the hole rather suggests a Pre-Greek word: very small animals, the long ῑ, the variation π\/φ; cf. the words cited.

Page in Frisk: 1,885-886

Grammatical information: m.

Meaning: name of unknown insects (acc. to Arist. Sens. 444b 12 small ants), that infest several trees and plants (Ar., Arist., Thphr., LXX).

Other forms: κνῑπός, also σκνίψ, σκνῖπός, pl. also σκνῖφες

Compounds: As 1. member in κνιπο-λόγος m. name of a woodpecker, σκνιπο-φάγος `eating σκνῖπες' (Arist.).

Derivatives: κνίπειος `belonging to a κνίψ' (Zos. Alch.). In remote or doubtful connection to κνίψ, σκνίψ there are several expressive, but in the literature only rarely found words, that indicate esp. niggardliness or different eye-diseases: κνιπός (AP), σκνιπός (Anon. in EN, H.), σκνιφός (Phryn.) `niggard'; with κνιπεύω `be niggardly' and κνιπεία (Doroth. Astrol.); further in the meaning `feeble-midedness etc.': κνιπός (Semon.), σκνιφός H., ὑπό-σκνιπος, - σκνιφος, - σχνιφος `slightly short-sighted' (pap.), κνιπά πτίλη H.; with κνιπότης `eye-inflammation' (Hp. Loc. Hom. 13, Erot.), κνιπόομαι `be inflamed, of the eyes' (H. in κεκνιπωμένοι), also `be infested with mildew, fire, of fruits' (H. ib.). Beside the names for eye-diseases etc. there are expressions for `dark': σκνιφαῖος (v. l. - παῖος) adjunt of ὁδίτης `who walks in the darkness ' (Theoc. 16, 93; after κνεφαῖος?), σκνῖφος τὸ σκότος H. - Further there are two denomin.: κνιπεῖν σείειν, ξύειν μέλαθρα καὶ δοκούς H. (prop. of the κνῖπες?), σκνίπτειν νύσσειν H.

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

Etymology: With κνίψ, σκνίψ rhyme θρίψ and ἴψ (s. vv.). Both ( σ)κνίψ and the words for `niggard' could go back to the idea of pinching and stinging (cf. σκνίπτω). Perh. the terms for weak-sight etc. might come from closing the eyes; or perh. from plant-diseases (caused by κνῖπες; s. κνιπόομαι). - One compares words for `pinching etc.' in Baltic and Germanic, e. g. Latv. kniêbt, knīpêt, MLDu. nipen; Pok. 562, Fraenkel Lit. et. Wb. s. kneĩbti. Wether they are real cognates, remains uncertain with these popular words. Cf. on - κναίω, κνίζω, κνύω. - Though the σ- could be an IE s-movable, the hole rather suggests a Pre-Greek word: very small animals, the long ῑ, the variation π\/φ; cf. the words cited.

Page in Frisk: 1,885-886