Περίς, πηρίς y περίναιος

Abstract

This article discusses the etymology of Greek πeρίναιος (also πeρίναιον, πeρίνeος, πeρίνeον) ‘perineum’. The etymological dictionaries endorse Meister’s derivation from the medical term ἰνάω ‘evacuate, purge’, but this is unlikely to be correct. Instead, it appears to be a derivative of πeρίς ‘penis’, with possible contamination from πηρίς ‘scrotum’.