English
emys
Emys comes from Ancient Greek ἐμύς ‘freshwater tortoise’.
- Ancient Greekc. 800–300 BCEἐμύςemús‘freshwater tortoise’
- Latinc. 75 BCE–200 CEemys
- Englishearliest quotation 1843same form
attested reconstructed ? uncertain or disputed
Earlier history uncertain.
Lineage
- Ancient Greekc. 800–300 BCEἐμύςemús‘freshwater tortoise’
- Latinc. 75 BCE–200 CEemys
- Englishearliest quotation 1843same form
Earliest quotation: 1843, The Penny Cyclopædia of the Society for , XXV: “Certain Emydes…tend to the Sea-tortoises or Turtles…and yet exhibit…”
Linked words
through Proto-Indo-European *wémh₁ti ‘to vomit’
through Ancient Greek ἐμέω ‘to vomit’
Today it means
noun Any member of the small Emys genus of freshwater pond tortoises.
Language periods are conventional ranges, not dates for this word.
Etymograph / Ancient Greek ἐμύς / emys