digamma

[ dahy-gam-uh ]

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.

digamma

/ 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

Other Words From

• di·gam·mat·ed [dahy-, gam, -ey-tid], adjective

Word History and Origins

Origin of digamma¹

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

Word History and Origins

Origin of digamma¹

C17: via Latin from Greek, from di- ¹+ gamma ; from its shape, which suggests one gamma upon another

Example Sentences

If V or F—the digamma is here admissible, then we arrive very near our own word Fish.

From Project Gutenberg

Further, the insignificance of Triptolemus and Eumolpus point to considerable antiquity, and the digamma is still active.

From Project Gutenberg

The figure of the letter F is the same as that of the ancient Greek digamma, which it also closely resembles in power.

From Project Gutenberg

Although the digamma escapes our salt, somewhere he lurks on the lonely mountains.

From Project Gutenberg

But we are expressly told that it had the force and sound of the Greek digamma.

From Project Gutenberg