Henry George Liddell, Robert Scott, A Greek-English Lexicon

A.mother-state, as related to her colonies, of Athens in relation to the Ionians, Hdt.7.51, Th.6.82; of Doris in relation to the Peloponn. Dorians, Hdt.8.31, Th.1.107, 3.92; of Meroe in relation to the Ethiopians, Hdt.2.29; of Thera, “μεγαλᾶν πολίων μ.” Pi.P.4.20; “μ. Λοκρῶν Ὀπόεις” Simon.93; of the Attic Salamis, as the μ. of the Cyprian, A.Pers.895(lyr.); of Corinth, as the μ. of Corcyra, Th.1.24; of Rome, Gal.14.296.

2. metaph., ἐστὶ μ. τοῦ ψυχροῦ [ὁ ἐγκέφαλος] Hp.Carn.4; “ἡ ἱστορία μ. τῆς φιλοσοφίας” D.S. 1.2, cf. Chrysipp.Stoic.3.199; γεωμετρία ἀρχὴ καὶ μ. τῶν ἄλλων (sc. μαθημάτων) Philol. ap. Plu.2.718e.

II. one's mother-city, mothercountry, home, Pi.N.5.8, S.OC707 (lyr.), Ant.1122 (lyr.).

2. ἁ σὰ ματρόπολις thy mother's city, Isyll.59.

III. capital city, X.An.5.2.3, 5.4.15; ἡ μ. τῆς Ἀσίας, of Ephesus, OGI496.6, IG3.485; ἡ μ. τῆς Ἰωνίας, of Miletus, ib.480.

b. in Egypt, chief town of a νομός, PRev.Laws 48.16 (iii B. C.), BGU326 ii 10 (ii A. D.), etc.