μέλαθρον, τό,
Epic dialect genitive singular μελαθρόφιν [[ 8th c.BC: Odyssea Homerus Epicus “Odyssey” 8.279 ] Refs 8th c.BC+]:—roof-tree, ridgepole, μελαθρόφιν ἐξεκέχυντο [same place],[[ compare 11.278, “hymnus ad Venerem” 173, “IG” 11(2).161 A 105 (Delos, 3rd c.BC), 199 A 113 ([prev. passage], _plural_); ἐπὶ προὔχοντι μελάθρῳ 8th c.BC: Odyssea Homerus Epicus “Odyssey” 19.544 ] Refs 8th c.BC+]: generally, beam, [[ LXX.3Ki.7.9(20); τὰ μ. τῶν θυρίδων “PRyl.” 233.5 (2nd c.AD). ] LXX+2nd c.AD+]
__2 roof, [[ 8th c.BC: Ilias Homerus Epicus “Illiad” 2.414, 8th c.BC: Odyssea Homerus Epicus “Odyssey” 18.150. ] Refs 8th c.BC+]
__II house, κυπαρίσσινον μ. [[ 5th c.BC: Pindarus Lyricus “P.” 5.40 ] Refs 5th c.BC+]; οὐράνιον μ., of heaven, [[ 5th c.BC: Euripides Tragicus “Hecuba” 1101 (Lyric poetry)] Refs 5th c.BC+]: mostly in plural, [[ 7th-6th c.BC: Alcaeus Lyricus “Supp.” 19.2, etc.] Refs 7th c.BC+]; μ. ἐν βασιλείοις in the king's halls, [[ 4th-5th c.BC: Aeschylus Tragicus “Choephori” 343 (_anapaest meter_), etc.; ἐς δόμων μ. [prev. author] “Ag.” 957 ] Refs 4th c.BC+]; of a cave used as a dwelling, [[ 5th c.BC: Sophocles Tragicus “Philoctetes” 147, 5th c.BC: Euripides Tragicus “Cyclops” 491 (both _anapaest meter_). ] Refs 5th c.BC+]
__II.2 lair of an animal, [[ 3rd c.AD: Oppianus Apamensis Epicus “Cynegetica” 2.307. ] Refs 3rd c.AD+]
__II.3 cage, [[[prev. work] 4.107, 423. (Acc. to “Etymologicum Magnum” 576.16 from μελαίνω, compare καπνοδόκη] Refs]; it is doubtful whether κμέλεθρον is cognate)