πρίστις

English (LSJ)

εως, ἡ, prob.

   A saw-fish, Pristis antiquorum, Epich.59 (v. infr.), AP7.506.10 (Leon.), Polycharm.1, Opp.H.1.370, Ael. NA9.49; coupled with βοῦς (v. βοῦς 111) but distd. from δελφίς, φάλαινα and other animals which have a blow-hole instead of gills in Arist.HA566b3. (πρῆστις is read in Epich.l.c., Opp.l.c. (v.l. πρίστις), Ael. l.c., Suid., but πρίστις in Arist., Polycharm., AP ll.cc. and pristis is the Lat. form, Plin.HN9.4,41; the spelling πρῆστις was perh. due to the idea that it was a 'spouter'; there was further a supposed connexion between πρίω and πρήθω; πρίεται· φυσοῦται, Hsch., cf. EM687.39; v. πρίω 11.2 fin.)    II ship of war, prob. from its shape, Plb.18.1.1, 16.2.9(pl.).    III a kind of cup, also from the shape, π., τραγέλαφος κτλ. Diph.80.    IV ornamental part of a surgical machine, Orib.49.4.42.    V a stone-mason's implement, IG12.313.130; gen.pl. πριστίω[ν] dub. sens. in ib.42(1).118.15 (Epid., iii B.C.).