αἷμαhaima

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Ancient Greek

Root

tsinga

sinew, tendon, vein; the cord of the body, that which binds flesh and carries blood

Greek aima traces to Shona tsinga, the body cord that binds and bleeds

Confidence
54/100
Root language
Shona
Descent begins
αἷμαAncient Greek

The consensus position

Mainstream comparative linguistics treats αἷμα as of unknown origin: Frisk and Chantraine both mark it unexplained, Beekes argues for a Pre-Greek substrate word on the strength of the -μα/-ματος neuter type, and the inherited Indo-European term for blood, *h₁esh₂r-, survives in Greek only as marginal ἔαρ. No relation to any Bantu language is recognised.

The working behind this.

The full descent — 8 links from the attested form down to the root — the segment-by-segment correspondences, the phonological breakdown and the case for the derivation are behind an account.

An account opens 10 entries in full, free.

Elsewhere in the corpus