digamma

American  

[dahy-gam-uh] / daɪˈgæm ə /

noun

1. a letter of the early Greek alphabet that generally fell into disuse in Attic Greek before the classical period and that represented a sound similar to English w.

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digamma British  

/ daɪˈɡæmə /

noun

1. a letter of the Greek alphabet ( ) that became obsolete before the classical period of the language. It represented a semivowel like English W and was used as a numeral in later stages of written Greek, and passed into the Roman alphabet as F

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Other Word Forms

• digammated adjective

Etymology

Origin of digamma

1545–55; < Latin < Greek dígamma, equivalent to di- di- ¹ + gámma gamma; from its resemblance to two gammas placed one over the other, similar to Roman French, which is a descendant of digamma

Example Sentences

In ὠατωθήσω, ἀκούσομαι, Doric according to Photius, the digamma is lost, as well as in the Tarentine contraction ἆτα, Hesychius.

From The History and Antiquities of the Doric Race, Vol. 2 of 2 by Müller, Karl Otfried

So too the digamma is called “Aeolic” by grammarians, and is found on Aeolic and Doric inscriptions.

From Encyclopaedia Britannica, 11th Edition, Volume 13, Slice 6 "Home, Daniel" to "Hortensius, Quintus" by Various

But what the digamma does it matter to Esperanto whether we are interested in it or not?

From International Language Past, Present and Future: With Specimens of Esperanto and Grammar by Clark, Walter John

The philological chores, so to speak, night and morning, that had once fallen to the digamma, they took upon themselves, until the very name of the letter was all but lost.

From Chimney-Pot Papers by Endell, Fritz August Gottfried

Among these musty memorial shelves, if anywhere, it would seem that the dusty padding feet of the lost digamma might be heard.

From Chimney-Pot Papers by Endell, Fritz August Gottfried