ψωροκώσταινα

Greek

Etymology

ψωρο- (psoro-, “poor-”, from ψώρα "scabies" or "mange") +‎ Κώσταινα (Kóstaina, feminine suffix for "wife of Kώστας"), see Κωνσταντίνος (Konstantínos).
Reputedly, the nickname of a very poor woman with surname Χατζηκώστα (Chatzikósta) or Χατζηκώσταινα (Chatzikóstaina) who contributed her meagre possession at a fund during the 1820s.

Patrick Leigh Fermor likens the name to the English "Mangy Betty" (see quotation below.)

Pronunciation

IPA^(key): /pso.ɾoˈko.ste.na/
Hyphenation: ψω‧ρο‧κώ‧σται‧να

Noun

ψωροκώσταινα • (psorokóstaina) f

(metonymically) Greece, an affectionate name used by Greeks of their homeland - it has intimations of poverty and affection.
- 2005, Sofka Zinovieff, Οδός Ευρυδίκης (Eurydice Street), Athens: Dioptra, page 35:
  "Καλωσορίσατε στην Ψωροκώσταινα" μου έγραψε ένας φίλος με e-mail όταν φτάσαμε στην Αθήνα ...
  "Kalosorísate stin Psorokóstaina" mou égrapse énas fílos me e-mail ótan ftásame stin Athína ...
  "Welcome to Psorokóstaina" a friend e-mailed me when I arrived in Athens ...
- 1958, Patrick Leigh Fermor, Mani, London: John Murray, page 208:
  But look how he [Venizelos] found Greece when he started. Do you remember what we used to call her Psorokóstaina - Mangy Betty! And look how he left her, one of the nations of the West with steady frontiers, double the size, friends with Turkey ...

Usage notes

The nickname as a female name, with initial capital Ψωροκώσταινα.

Declension

declension of ψωροκώσταινα

case \\ number	singular	plural
nominative	ψωροκώσταινα •	ψωροκώσταινες •
genitive	ψωροκώσταινας •	ψωροκώσταινων •
accusative	ψωροκώσταινα •	ψωροκώσταινες •
vocative	ψωροκώσταινα •	ψωροκώσταινες •
Usually in the singular.