Message: "Re: Myrsine" - Behind the Name

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Re: Myrsine

by Pavlos

9/4/2008, 5:33 AM

in reply to a message by Andromache (Hannah Ruth)

Myrsine is the ancient Greek name for the myrtle plant :)

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- Andromache (Hannah Ruth) +6

9/4/2008, 5:53 AM

Does it mean something in particular?

- Chrisell +3

9/4/2008, 7:50 AM

http://www.etymonline.com/index.php?term=myrtle

Some plant names are so old that their origins really don't have any other etymology than the association with the plant. If you go right back, it comes from a root word meaning "was bitter" (the etymology would suggest that it's very, very distantly related to names like Mara and Merari).

This message was edited 9/4/2008, 7:53 AM

- Pavlos

9/5/2008, 12:20 AM

Spot-on!

- তন্ময় ভট (guest)

9/4/2008, 11:02 AM

Thanks.

- Andromache (Hannah Ruth)

9/4/2008, 10:04 AM

Thanks, that really helpful.

- Pavlos +1

9/4/2008, 5:56 AM

...like the English name Myrtle it means, err, myrtle plant!

- তন্ময় ভট (guest)

9/4/2008, 6:00 AM

I guess the question would be about its etymology: is it morphologically related to other words (which do not mean anything like myrtle plant) in Greek or anywhere else.

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