Gaia (pron.: /ˈɡeɪ.ə/ or /ˈɡaɪ.ə/; from Ancient Greek Γαῖα, a poetical form of Gē Γῆ, “land” or “earth”;[1] also Gaea, or Ge) was the goddess or personification of Earth in ancient Greek religion,[2] one of the Greek primordial deities. Gaia was the great mother of all: the heavenly gods, the Titans and the Giants were born from her union with Uranus (the sky), while the sea-gods were born from her union with Pontus (the sea). Her equivalent in the Roman pantheon was Terra.
The Greek word “γαῖα” (trans. as gaia or gaea pronounced: Geea) is a collateral form of “γῆ”[3] (gē, Doric “γά” – ga and probably “δᾶ” da[4][5]) meaningEarth,[6] a word of unknown origin.[7] In Mycenean Greek Ma-ka (trans. as Ma-ga: Mother Gaia) contains also the root ga-.[8][9]
Pronunciation
- (5th BC Attic): IPA: /ɡá͜ɪ.a/
- (1st BC Egyptian): IPA: /ɣɛ́ːa/
- (4th AD Koine): IPA: /ɣéa/
- (10th AD Byzantine): IPA: /ʝéa/
- (15th AD Constantinopolitan): IPA: /ʝéa/
Proper noun
Γαῖα (genitive Γαίας) f, first declension; (Gaia)
Inflection
Case / # | Singular |
---|---|
Nominative | Γαῖᾰ |
Genitive | Γαίᾱς |
Dative | Γαίᾳ |
Accusative | Γαῖᾰν |
Vocative | Γαῖᾰ |