-η
Ancient Greek
Alternative forms
- -ᾱ (-ā), -ᾱ́ (-ā́)
- -ή (-ḗ)
Etymology
From earlier -ᾱ (-ā), from Proto-Indo-European *-eh₂.
Suffix
-η • (-ē) f (genitive -ης); first declension
(Attic, Epic, Ionic, Koine)
- Added to verbal stems ending in a consonant to form an action noun.
- Added to o-grade of the verbal stem
- τρέφω (tréphō, “to nourish”) + -η (-ē) → τροφή (trophḗ, “nourishment”)
- Added to zero-grade of the verbal stem
- φεύγω (pheúgō, “to flee”) + -η (-ē) → φυγή (phugḗ, “flight”)
- τυγχάνω (τυχ-) (tunkhánō (tukh-), “to happen”) + -η (-ē) → τύχη (túkhē, “fortune”)
- Added to e-grade of the verbal stem
- στέγω (stégō, “to shelter”) + -η (-ē) → στέγη (stégē, “roof”)
- Added to o-grade of the verbal stem
Usage notes
In Attic, the suffix retains the form -ᾱ (-ā) after ε (e), ι (i) or ρ (r).
The o-grade and zero-grade derivations have the accent on the suffix.
Declension
First declension of -η; -ης (Attic)
Case / # | Singular | Dual | Plural | ||||||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Nominative | -η -ē | -ᾱ -ā | -αι -ai | ||||||||||
Genitive | -ης -ēs | -αιν -ain | -ῶν -ôn | ||||||||||
Dative | -ῃ -ēi | -αιν -ain | -αις -ais | ||||||||||
Accusative | -ην -ēn | -ᾱ -ā | -ᾱς -ās | ||||||||||
Vocative | -η -ē | -ᾱ -ā | -αι -ai | ||||||||||
Notes: |
|
First declension of -ή; -ῆς (Attic)
Case / # | Singular | Dual | Plural | ||||||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Nominative | -ή -ḗ | -ᾱ́ -ā́ | -αί -aí | ||||||||||
Genitive | -ῆς -ês | -αῖν -aîn | -ῶν -ôn | ||||||||||
Dative | -ῇ -êi | -αῖν -aîn | -αῖς -aîs | ||||||||||
Accusative | -ήν -ḗn | -ᾱ́ -ā́ | -ᾱ́ς -ā́s | ||||||||||
Vocative | -ή -ḗ | -ᾱ́ -ā́ | -αί -aí | ||||||||||
Notes: |
|
Alternative forms
- -ᾱ (-ā) – Aeolic, Doric
Derived terms
► <a class='CategoryTreeLabel CategoryTreeLabelNs14 CategoryTreeLabelCategory' href='/wiki/Category:Ancient_Greek_words_suffixed_with_-%CE%B7_(o-grade)' title='Category:Ancient Greek words suffixed with -η (o-grade)'>Ancient Greek words suffixed with -η (o-grade)</a>
► <a class='CategoryTreeLabel CategoryTreeLabelNs14 CategoryTreeLabelCategory' href='/wiki/Category:Ancient_Greek_words_suffixed_with_-%CE%B7_(zero_grade)' title='Category:Ancient Greek words suffixed with -η (zero grade)'>Ancient Greek words suffixed with -η (zero grade)</a>
► <a class='CategoryTreeLabel CategoryTreeLabelNs14 CategoryTreeLabelCategory' href='/wiki/Category:Ancient_Greek_words_suffixed_with_-%CE%B7_(e-grade)' title='Category:Ancient Greek words suffixed with -η (e-grade)'>Ancient Greek words suffixed with -η (e-grade)</a>
References
- Smyth, Herbert Weir (1920), “Part III: Formation of Words”, in A Greek grammar for colleges, Cambridge: American Book Company, § 859.2