Expert: Maria - 11/28/2007

Question
Dear Maria

I am going crazy trying to recall a word in Ancient Greek (?or Latin?) with a stem which would transliterate as 'puteu-' (?or -puteu-?) and which means or is associated with the colour blue - possibly only tenuously such as a flower or gem of that colour.

Is there such a word?

If not:
a) is there any word or group of words with that stem?  If you could give me their meanings that would be of great help, if it is not too much trouble.
b) is there any Greek word for blue or blue-like apart from Kuaneos and its derivatives?

Thank you so much for your help.

Jane

Answer
Dear Jane,

I’m sorry, but as far as I know there is no ancient Greek / Latin word “with a stem which would transliterate as 'puteu-' (?or -puteu-?) and which means or is associated with the colour blue - possibly only tenuously such as a flower or gem of that colour”, neither there is any else transliteration which can be  somehow  similar.

Moreover  there is no word or group of words with that stem, except for the Latin noun “puteus” (2nd.declension) which however has nothing to do with the colour blue (dark / light) or whatever similar, since it means “pit “/ “well”.

Finally, with regard to a “Greek word for blue or blue-like apart from the adjective  “kuaneos” (dark blue)  and its derivatives”, I can mention:

1- the adjective “glaukos” meaning “light blue, bluish green“, i.e. a colour intermediate between green and violet or between green and grey, like in the epithet of the goddess Athena described as “Glaukopis”, i.e. 'grey-eyed' or “bluish green -eyed”.

2- the adjective, “aérinos” (nominative masculine), which is “associated with the colour blue - possibly only tenuously such as a flower or gem of that colour”, as this adjective is related to the noun “aér”  which means “air “/ “sky” as a “light blue sky”.


To conclude I can tell you that in Latin we have the adjective “caeruleus”(nominative masculine) meaning “dark blue”, but also “cerulean”, “light blue “ and the adjective “caesius” meaning “bluish green “.

Hope this can be helpful to you.
Best regards,
Maria