-α
See also: ἁ, ἆ, ἅ, ἀ-, ά, ά-, and α-
Ancient Greek
Etymology 1
From Proto-Indo-European *-eh₂.
Pronunciation
- (5th BCE Attic) IPA(key): /aː/
- (1st CE Egyptian) IPA(key): /a/
- (4th CE Koine) IPA(key): /a/
- (10th CE Byzantine) IPA(key): /a/
- (15th CE Constantinopolitan) IPA(key): /a/
Suffix
-ᾱ • (-ā) f (genitive -ᾱς); first declension
- Earlier form of -η (-ē), retained in certain dialects, and in Attic after ε, ι or ρ
- ᾰ̓γείρω (ageírō, “to gather”) + -ᾱ > ᾰ̓γορᾱ́ (agorā́)
Derived terms
Ancient Greek terms suffixed with -α (o-grade)
Etymology 2
From the neuter accusative plural ending -ᾰ (-a).
Pronunciation
- (5th BCE Attic) IPA(key): /a/
- (1st CE Egyptian) IPA(key): /a/
- (4th CE Koine) IPA(key): /a/
- (10th CE Byzantine) IPA(key): /a/
- (15th CE Constantinopolitan) IPA(key): /a/
Suffix
-ᾰ • (-a)
- Added to adjectival roots to form an adverb: -ly
- σᾰφ-ής (saph-ḗs, “clear”) + -ᾰ (-a) → σᾰ́φᾰ (sápha, “clearly”)
Derived terms
Ancient Greek terms suffixed with -α (adverb)
Greek
Suffix
-α • (-a)
- used with a noun to form an augmentative:
- μπουκάλι (boukáli, “bottle”) + -α (-a) → μπουκάλα (boukála, “large bottle”)
- added to adjectival roots to form an adverb:
- γρήγορος (grígoros, “quick”) + -α (-a) → γρήγορα (grígora, “quickly”)
- to form the feminine:
- δούλος (doúlos, “male slave”) + -α (-a) → δούλα (doúla, “female slave”)
- an inflectional ending, some examples:
- καρότο (karóto, “carrot”) + -α (-a) → καρότα (karóta, “carrots”, plural case forms)
- φύλακας (fýlakas, “guard”) + -α (-a) → φύλακα (fýlaka, single case forms)
Derived terms
Greek terms suffixed with -α