Where does “Befana” come from?
Befana (Italian) comes from Latin epiphanīa, from Ancient Greek ἐπιφάνεια, from Ancient Greek Ἐπιφανής, from Ancient Greek ἐπι-, from Ancient Greek ἐπί, from Ancient Greek Ἡμέρα, from Ancient Greek ἦμαρ, from Proto-Hellenic ā́mər — to be hot; to burn.
Befana (Italian): a folkloric figure resembling an ugly but kind old witch who gives treats or presents to children in the night before Epiphany
Definitions
- a folkloric figure resembling an ugly but kind old witch who gives treats or presents to children in the night before Epiphany
Ancestry of “Befana”, step by step
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Latin | epiphanīa | — |
| 2 | Ancient Greek | ἐπιφάνεια | appearance, manifestation; visible portion,... |
| 3 | Ancient Greek | Ἐπιφανής | appearing, coming to light |
| 4 | Ancient Greek | ἐπι- | on, upon, on top of, all over, covering; on,... |
| 5 | Ancient Greek | ἐπί | as well, besides; For usage in composition, see... |
| 6 | Ancient Greek | Ἡμέρα | — |
| 7 | Ancient Greek | ἦμαρ | day; by day; midday |
| 8 | Proto-Hellenic | ā́mər | day |
| 9 | Proto-Indo-European | h₂eh₃mr̥ | heat |
| 10 | Proto-Indo-European | h₂eh₃- | to be hot; to burn |