μαῖα

μαῖα, ἡ, A. good mother, form of address to old women, Hom. (only in Od.), always in voc., usu. addressed to Eurycleia, the nurse of Odysseus, Od. 19.482, al.; but also to Eurynome the ταμίη, 17.499: hence not only of nurses, cf. h.Cer. 147, Ar. Ec. 915 (lyr.). 2. later, foster-mother, E. Hipp. 243 (anap.), Antiph. 159.6; also, a true mother, μαῖα δὴ κάτω βέβακεν E. Alc. 393 (lyr.): metaph., of the earth, ἰὼ γαῖα μαῖα A. Ch. 44 (lyr.), cf. S. Fr. 959. 3. midwife, Pl. Tht. 149a, Isyll. 54, Sor. 2.3, al., etc. b. lady doctor, Gal. 14.641. 4. in Dor., grandmother, Iamb. VP 11.56, IG 12(3).1120 (Melos). II. large kind of crab, Arist. HA 525b4, al. III. a plant, = λεπίδιον, Orib. Fr. 102. (Prob. from same Root as μήτηρ.)