Pyrrhomyias
purr-oh-MY-ee-as
Genus
the reddish fly-catcher
Literally: reddish fly
| Part | Meaning | Language | Note |
|---|---|---|---|
| pyrrho- | red, reddish; orange-colored | Greek (pyrrh, -o) | combining form pyrrho-, connecting vowel -o- absorbed into the root |
| myia- | a fly | Greek (myi, =a) | core noun; forms the head of the compound |
| -s | nominative singular ending for Latinized Greek masculine first-declension nouns | Greek (-as) | the full ending is -as; standard for Latinized Greek genus names |
Pyrrhomyias is a single compound genus name formed from the Greek adjective/combining form pyrrho- ('reddish') modifying myia ('fly'). The -as ending is the Latinized Greek masculine nominative singular, standard for genus names of this type. The name refers to the orange-rufous plumage of these South American tyrant-flycatchers (family Tyrannidae).
Pronunciation
- purr-oh-MY-ee-as Five syllables: purr-oh-MY-ee-as. Penult is 'i', a short vowel followed by no consonant cluster, so stress falls on the antepenult 'my'. The antepenult vowel y is immediately followed by another vowel (i), making it long, so it sounds like 'eye' (MY).
Other readings
A reading of pyr- ('fire') + rho- + myias is possible but ruled out because pyrrh- is a single unbroken root meaning 'reddish/orange-colored', which also suits the bird's plumage perfectly.
The root pyrrh- in this name is unambiguously 'reddish/orange-colored' (Greek pyrrhos), not pyr- 'fire' or 'wheat'. The -o- is the standard Greek combining vowel fused into the root's combining form pyrrho-. The -as nominative ending is not listed separately in the dictionary but is the expected Latinized Greek masculine nominative singular; confidence remains high from classical grammar. Pyrrhomyias is a small genus of tyrant-flycatchers; the name alludes to the vivid orange-rufous coloration of P. cinnamomeus and relatives.