μάχαιρα
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Root
mhaka
matter, case, dispute, cause of quarrel; fault, blame, the grounds on which one is answerable
Machaira descends from Shona mhaka, the dispute, that which is fought over
- Confidence
- 44/100
- Root language
- Shona
- Descent begins
- μάχαιραGreek
The consensus position
Mainstream comparative linguistics treats μάχαιρα as a Greek instrument noun formally associable with μάχομαι 'fight' but phonologically irregular, since the χ cannot be derived from Proto-Indo-European *magh- by sound law; Chantraine and Beekes therefore classify it as of uncertain and probably pre-Greek substrate origin, with a rival tie to *meh₂ḱ- 'long, thin' also proposed. No relationship to Bantu is recognised.
The working behind this.
The full descent — 7 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
- Pelagiaparato spread out, to lay out flat, to clear a surface level
- Kérberoskerekato be smeared, streaked, marked with dirt; causative kerekedza, to streak or daub
- ἀποκτείνω-tekanato be cut off, be broken off, be severed, to snap
- βλασφημία-bvato come out, to issue forth; in the derived bvuma, to give voice, to assent
- ἀρχή-erekato load, to place on, to set up on the head or shoulder; to install, to set in position
- Theosmutsakindness, favour, mercy