pel-, pelo- +
(Greek: mud, earth, clay)
Don't confuse this pel- unit with another pel- group meaning "push, beat, strike, knock, drive".
No evidence could be found linking the "pelo" in Peloponnesus with the "pelo" meaning "mud" as shown in this unit.
The peninsula has been inhabited since prehistoric times. Its modern name derives from ancient Greek mythology, specifically the legend of the hero Pelops who was said to have conquered the entire region. The name Peloponnesos means "Island of Pelops".
In Greek mythology, Pelops (Greek Πέλοψ, from pelios, "dark; and ops, "face, eye") was venerated at Olympia where his cult developed into the founding myth of the Olympic Games, the most important expression of unity, not only for the Peloponnesus, "land of Pelops", but for all Hellenes.
Pelops was the son of Tantalus who was restored to life by Demeter "after his father had killed him and served his flesh to the gods".
2. Etymology: from Greek pelos, "mud" + therapeio, "treatment".
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Cross references of word families related directly, or indirectly, to: "land, ground, fields, soil, dirt, mud, clay, earth (world)": agra-; agrest-; agri-; agro-; argill-; choro-; chthon-; epeiro-; geo-; glob-; lut-; myso-; pedo-; rhyp-; soil-; sord-; terr-.