Alcippe
al-SIP-ee
Genus
Mighty mare
Literally: Strong horse
| Part | Meaning | Language | Note |
|---|---|---|---|
| Alc- | Strong; strength | Greek (alc, -ae) | From Greek ἀλκή (alkē), 'strength'; first element of a Greek compound proper name |
| -ippe | A horse | Greek (hipp, -e) | From Greek ἵππος (hippos), 'horse'; feminine form -ippe used in proper names (cf. Philippa, Xanthippe); the initial h- is dropped in compounding |
Alcippe is a single-word genus name adopted directly from Greek mythology. In Greek it is a feminine proper noun (Ἀλκίππη), compounded from alc- (strength) + -ippe (horse, feminine combining form of hippos). It is treated as a feminine noun in the nominative singular when used as a Latin genus name. The name was borne by several figures in Greek myth, most notably a daughter of Ares.
Pronunciation
- al-SIP-ee Penult stress: the penult vowel 'i' is followed by two consonants (pp), making it positionally long (rule 5).
Other readings
The first element alc- could theoretically be read as Latin alc- (elk), but the second element -ippe is unambiguously Greek hippē (horse/mare), making a fully Greek mythological reading overwhelmingly preferable.
Alcippe is a well-known genus of Old World babblers (birds, family Pellorneidae/Timaliidae), named after the Greek mythological figure. The element -ippe is the feminine form of Greek hippos; the initial h- is regularly elided when hippos appears as the second element of a compound (cf. Xanthippe, Philippus). The dictionary lists hipp, -e as a valid combining form, confirming -ippe here.