πρύμνα
Alt. πρύμνα, ης, ἡ,
Etym. fem. of πρυμνός
I. (sub. ναῦς) "the hindmost part of a ship, the stern, poop", Lat. puppis, Hom., etc.; he sometimes has it in full, νηὶ πάρα πρύμνῃ, ἐπὶ πρύμνῃ νηί, νηὶ ἐνὶ πρ., and in pl., νηυσὶν ἔπι πρύμνῃσι; though he also has πρύμνη νηός Od.:— ἐπὶ πρύμνην ἀνακρούεσθαι to back a ship (v. ἀνακρούω II); so, χωρεῖν πρύμναν "to retire, draw back", Eur.; ἐπείγει κατὰ πρύμναν, of a fair wind, Soph.; κατὰ πρ. ἵσταται τὸ πνεῦμα Thuc.—Ships were fastened or drawn up on land by the stern, Il.: hence, πρύμνας λῦσαι Eur.; cf. πρυμνήσιος.
2. metaph. of "the vessel" of the State, Aesch.
II. generally "the bottom", πρ. Ὄσσας "the foot" of mount Ossa, Eur.