Palaiopyrgos (, before 1927: Μεβδέζα, Mevdeza) is a settlement in Ioannina regional unit, Epirus, Greece.
Name The toponym stems from the Slavic form Medvedja and underwent a Slavic (Bulgarian) shift where dj became žd and the Slavic ě was rendered in Greek as e, resulting in the form Medvežda. This was followed by a metathesis of dv to vd and a dissimilatory shift of d into a y sound, evolving the cluster (v)d-(ž)d into (v)y-(ž)d. The Slavic form Medvědja is derived from the Slavic word medvědь, meaning 'one who eats honey, bear' stemming from medь 'honey' and the suffix -ja, masculine -jь.
See also List of settlements in the Ioannina regional unit
References