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

F autem apud Aeolis dumtaxat idem valere quod apud nos vau cum pro consonante scribitur, vocarique βαυ et digamma.

From The Roman Pronunciation of Latin Why we use it and how to use it by Lord, Frances Ellen

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

From Chimney-Pot Papers by Endell, Fritz August Gottfried

The digamma, I am informed, is a letter that was lost in prehistoric times from the Greek alphabet.

From Chimney-Pot Papers by Endell, Fritz August Gottfried

Tychsen, Physiologus Syrus, cap. xxx.: did the digamma get to Crediton by way of Cricklade?

From Notes and Queries, Number 49, October 5, 1850 by Various

Sometimes the sound of the digamma is given, we are told, where the character itself 31 is not written.

From The Roman Pronunciation of Latin Why we use it and how to use it by Lord, Frances Ellen