ΚΎΩΝ, ὁ and ἡ, gen. κῠνός, dat. κῠνί, acc. κύνα, voc. κύον:—pl., nom. κύνες, gen. κυνῶν, dat. κυσί, Ep. κύνεσσι, acc. κύνας:— a dog or bitch, Hom., etc.; most commonly of hounds, Id., etc.; the Laconian breed was famous, Soph.;— νή or μὰ τὸν κύνα was the favourite oath of Socrates, Plat.: cf. τραπεζεύς.

II. as a word of reproach, to denote shamelessness or audacity in women, rashness, recklessness in men, Hom.

2. at Athens a nickname of the Cynics, Arist., Anth.

III. the Trag. apply the term to the ministers of the gods; the eagle is Διὸς πτηνὸς κύων Aesch.; the griffins Ζηνὸς ἀκραγεῖς κύνες Id.; the Bacchantes Λύσσης κ. Eur., etc.

IV. a sea-dog, mentioned as a fish in Od.

V. the dog-star, i.e. the dog of Orion, placed among the stars with its master, Il.