ἴσθμα

ἴσθμα,

A = ἄσθμα, and [full] ἰσθμαίνω, = ἀσθμαίνω, Hsch. (also [pref] ἰσμ-, Id.).

ἴσμα, ἰσμαίνω,

A v. ἴσθμα.

Grammatical information: m., also f. (after ἡ ὁδός a. o.; cf. Schwyzer-Debrunner 34 n. 2)

Meaning: `small entry, spit of land, strait of earth or sea, neck', esp. as GN of the strait of Corinth (IA).

Compounds: As 2. member with ιο-suffix in the hypostasis παρ-ίσθμ-ια, n. pl. a. sg. `fauces, tonsils' (Hp., Arist.).

Derivatives: ἴσθμιος `belonging to the Isthmos' (Pi., trag.), τὸ ἴσθμιον `collar' (σ 300), τὰ ἴσθμια `fauces' (Hp.); ἴσθμιον also metaph. from the neck of a flask (Cypr. word in Pamphil. ap. Ath. 11, 472e; diff. Leumann Hom. Wörter 271); τὰ Ἴσθμια name of the Corinthian games (Pi., Simon., Ar.) with Ίσθμιο-νίκης, - νικος `winner at the Ἴ.' (B.), Ίσθμιασταί `spectators of the Ἴ.' (title of a play of A.; like Άπολλωνιασταί a. o., Chantraine Formation 317; ἰσθμιάζω Suid., H.), also Ίσθμιᾶται (Delos II<sup>a</sup>); ἰσθμικός, - ιακός `belonging to the Isthmos, the Isthmia ' (Ar., Str.), ἰσθμώδης `isthmos-like' (Th.). - The denominative ἰσθμαίνω = ἀσθμαίνω with ἴσθμα = ἄσθμα H. arose through cross of ἰσθμός with ἀσθμαίνω.

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

Etymology: Perh. from εἶμι `go' with θμο-suffix, cf. the byform Ίθμός, Ίθμο-νίκα (inscr.) and ἴ-θμα, εἰσ-ί-θμη; on the meaning cf. ONord. eið n. `strait of land', IE * oi-dho- (or * oi-to-). The - σ- is unexplained; a basis * idh-dhmo- cannot be accounted for. Acc. to Chantraine Formation 137 therefore adaptation of a local loan; thus Fur, 294 n. 9. Older lit. in Bq; s. also Schwyzer 492 n. 12, v. Wilamowitz Eur. Her. on v. 958.

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