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Meaning & History
Latinized form of Greek Κοπρεύς (Kopreus), which is derived from Greek κόπρειος (kopreios) meaning "full of dung, filthy". In turn, it is ultimately derived from Greek κόπρος (kopros) meaning "excrement, dung". Also compare Greek κοπρία (kopria) meaning "dung-hill". Needless to say, this is quite an unflattering name to have, though it originally may have had a more positive connotation and been associated with the ownership of cattle, rather than just the cattle's dung. In Greek mythology, Copreus was the herald of king Eurystheus.