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Meaning & History
Most likely derived from the Greek adjective νηφάλιος (nephalios), which literally means "without wine, holding no wine, unmixed with wine". It refers to abstinence from intoxicating wine (i.e. physical sobriety), so a more figurative meaning of the word would be "sober, clear-headed, temperate". The word is ultimately derived from the Greek verb νήφω (nepho) meaning "to drink no wine, to be sober". Also compare the Greek noun νεφέλιον (nephelion) meaning "small cloud", which is a diminutive of Greek νεφέλη (nephele) "cloud" - itself ultimately derived from Greek νέφος (nephos) meaning "cloud, mass of clouds". These may be etymologically related to the aforementioned nephalios and nepho. Finally, in Greek mythology, Nephalion was the name of one of the four sons of Minos.