Struthion (1)

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Struthion grece passer.


Apparatus:

Strution AD | Struthion C | Struchion B e


Translation:

Struthion is the Greek for Latin passer {"sparrow, small bird; also ostrich"}.


Commentary:

στρουθίον /strouthíon/ is formally a diminutive but acts like a variant form of στροῦθος /stroûthos/ or στρουθός /strouthós/, which means "sparrow" or "any small bird", but στρουθοί αἱ μεγάλαι /strouthoí hai megálai/ "big birds” means "ostriches”. The word στρουθός /strouthós/ also denotes a fish and a plant.

Latin passer, which basically means "sparrow, small bird”, can also stand - as in the case of this entry - for passer marinus "bird brought from across the sea”, i.e. "ostrich” according to Lewis & Short.


See also: Struthion (2), Strutho cameleos


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