Editing Zephyrus (section)

== Etymology ==
The ancient Greek noun {{lang|grc|ζέφυρος}} is the word for the wind that blows from the west.{{sfn|Liddell|Scott|1940|loc=s.v. [https://www.perseus.tufts.edu/hopper/text?doc=Perseus:text:1999.04.0057:entry=*ze/furos Ζέφυρος]}} His name is attested in [[Mycenaean Greek]] as ze-pu<sub>2</sub>-ro ([[Linear B]]: {{lang|gmy|{{script|Linb|𐀽𐁆𐀫}}}}),<ref>{{cite book | last1 = Казанскене | first1 = В. П. | last2 = Казанский | first2 = Н. Н | entry = ze-pu₂-ro | title = Предметно-понятийный словарь греческого языка. Крито-микенский период | url = https://www.academia.edu/40648657 | location = Leningrad (Saint Petersburg), Russia | publisher = Nauka | year = 1986 | page = 64 |language = Russian}}</ref> which points to a possible Proto-Hellenic form ''*Dzépʰuros''.{{sfn|Davis|Laffineur|2020|page=[https://books.google.com/books?id=AeiyEAAAQBAJ&pg=PA12 12]}} Further attestation of the god and his worship as part of the Anemoi is found in the word-forms {{lang|gmy|{{script|Linb|𐀀𐀚𐀗𐀂𐀋𐀩𐀊}}}}, {{Lang|gmy-latn|a-ne-mo-i-je-re-ja}}, {{lang|gmy|{{script|Linb|𐀀𐀚𐀗𐄀𐀂𐀋𐀩𐀊}}}}, {{Lang|gmy-latn|a-ne-mo i-je-re-ja}}. That is, "priestess of the winds", found on the [[Knossos|KN]] Fp 1 and KN Fp 13 tablets.<ref name=":0">{{cite web | url = http://minoan.deaditerranean.com/resources/linear-b-sign-groups/a/a-ne-mo/ | title = a-ne-mo | last = Raymoure | first = K. A. | work = Linear B Transliterations | publisher = Deaditerranean. Dead Languages of the Mediterranean | access-date = 2014-03-28 | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20190212181702/http://minoan.deaditerranean.com/resources/linear-b-sign-groups/a/a-ne-mo/ | archive-date = 2019-02-12 | url-status = dead}}{{cite web | url = https://www2.hf.uio.no/damos/Index/item/chosen_item_id/1 | title = KN Fp 1 + 31}}{{cite web | url = https://www2.hf.uio.no/damos/Index/item/chosen_item_id/13 | title = KN 13 Fp(1) (138)}}</ref><ref name=":1">{{cite web | url = http://www.hf.uio.no/ifikk/english/research/projects/damos/ | title = DĀMOS: Database of Mycenaean at Oslo – Department of Philosophy, Classics, History of Art and Ideas}}</ref>

Traditionally, 'Zephyros' has been linked to the word {{lang|grc|ζόφος}} (zóphos) meaning "darkness" or "west". Both in turn have been connected to the [[Proto-Indo-European]] root  ''*(h₃)yebʰ-'', meaning "to enter, to penetrate" (from which {{lang|grc|οἴφω}} (oíphō), meaning 'to have sex', also derives).{{sfn|Rix|2001|page=[https://archive.org/details/lexikon-der-indogermanischen-verben/page/309/mode/1up?view=theater 309]}} It has been noted however that a development ''*Hi̯-'' → ''ζ-'' is unlikely, and most evidence in fact points to the contrary.{{sfn|Beekes|2009|page=[https://archive.org/details/etymological-dictionary-of-greek/page/n540/mode/1up?view=theater 499]}}

It could also be of pre-Greek origin, though [[Robert S. P. Beekes|Beekes]] is not sure either way.{{sfn|Beekes|2009|page=[https://archive.org/details/etymological-dictionary-of-greek/page/n540/mode/1up?view=theater 499]}} Due to his role as the west wind, his name and various derivatives of it were used to mean 'western',{{sfn|Beekes|2009|page=[https://archive.org/details/etymological-dictionary-of-greek/page/n540/mode/1up?view=theater 499]}} for example the Greek colony of [[Epizephyrian Locris]] in southern [[Italy]], west of [[Greece]].