ἤλεκτρον,τό, andἤλεκτρος,ὁorἡ(gender indeterminate in Hom. , Hes. , and Pl. , neut. in Hdt. 3.115 , Thphr. HP 9.18.2 , Ti.Locr. 102a , masc. in S. Ant. 1038 codd., Eust.ad D.P. 293 , fem. in Ar. Eq. 532 , Alex. Aphr.Pr.Praef.),
A. amber(cf.Ἠλεκτρίδες), [ὅρμος] μετὰ . . ἠλέκτροισιν(i.e.pieces of amber) ἔερτο
Od. 15.460
, cf. 18.296 , Hdt. 3.115 , Pl. Ti. 80c , Phld. Sign. 1 , D.L. 1.24 , etc.; ἠλέκτρου λιβάδες
A.R. 4.606
.
II. an alloy of gold and silver, χρυσοῦ τ' ἠλέκτρου τε καὶ ἀργύρου ἠδ' ἐλέφαντος
Od. 4.73
, cf. Hes. Sc. 142 , Hom. Epigr. 15.10 , Pytheas ap. Ath. 11.465d ;τἀπὸ Σάρδεων ἤ. S. Ant. 1038 (cj.): in pl., of the pegs of a lyre, ἐκπιπτουσῶν τῶν ἠλέκτρων
Ar. Eq. 532
. (The two senses are difficult to distinguish in early Poetry; cf. Paus. 5.12.7 , Plin. HN 33.80 , 37.31 . The word is connected withἠλέκτωρ.)