ἐπιθυμέω

Ancient Greek

Etymology

From ἐπῐ́θῡμος (epíthūmos, “desirous”) +‎ -έω (-éō, denominative verbal suffix).

Pronunciation

(5^th BCE Attic) IPA^(key): /e.pi.tʰyː.mé.ɔː/
(1^st CE Egyptian) IPA^(key): /e.pi.tʰyˈme.o/
(4^th CE Koine) IPA^(key): /e.pi.θyˈme.o/
(10^th CE Byzantine) IPA^(key): /e.pi.θyˈme.o/
(15^th CE Constantinopolitan) IPA^(key): /e.pi.θiˈme.o/

Verb

ἐπῐθῡμέω • (epithūméō)

to set one's heart on a thing, desire, covet
1. (with genitive)
2. (Koine, with accusative)
  - 70 CE – 110 CE, The Gospel of Matthew 5:27–28:
    Ἠκούσατε ὅτι ἐρρέθη· Οὐ μοιχεύσεις. ἐγὼ δὲ λέγω ὑμῖν ὅτι πᾶς ὁ βλέπων γυναῖκα πρὸς τὸ ἐπιθυμῆσαι αὐτὴν ἤδη ἐμοίχευσεν αὐτὴν ἐν τῇ καρδίᾳ αὐτοῦ.
    Ēkoúsate hóti errhéthē; Ou moikheúseis. egṑ dè légō humîn hóti pâs ho blépōn gunaîka pròs tò epithumêsai autḕn ḗdē emoíkheusen autḕn en têi kardíāi autoû.
    You have heard it said "Do not commit adultery." But I tell you that everyone looking at a woman to covet her has already committed adultery with her in his heart.
  - New Testament, Epistle to the Romans 13:8–9:
    Μηδενὶ μηδὲν ὀφείλετε, εἰ μὴ τὸ ἀλλήλους ἀγαπᾶν· ὁ γὰρ ἀγαπῶν τὸν ἕτερον νόμον πεπλήρωκεν. τὸ γάρ · Οὐ μοιχεύσεις, Οὐ φονεύσεις, Οὐ κλέψεις, Οὐκ ἐπιθυμήσεις, καὶ εἴ τις ἑτέρα ἐντολή, ἐν τῷ λόγῳ τούτῳ ⸃ ἀνακεφαλαιοῦται, ἐν τῷ· Ἀγαπήσεις τὸν πλησίον σου ὡς σεαυτόν.
    Mēdenì mēdèn opheílete, ei mḕ tò allḗlous agapân; ho gàr agapôn tòn héteron nómon peplḗrōken. tò gár ; Ou moikheúseis, Ou phoneúseis, Ou klépseis, Ouk epithumḗseis, kaì eí tis hetéra entolḗ, en tôi lógōi toútōi ⸃ anakephalaioûtai, en tôi; Agapḗseis tòn plēsíon sou hōs seautón.
    Owe nothing to anyone, except loving each other. For the one who loves another has fulfilled the law. For "Do not commit adultery", "Do not murder", "Do not steal", "Do not covet", and whatever other command, is summed up in "Love your neighbor as yourself".
3. (with infinitive) desire, want to
  - 366 BCE – 348 BCE, Plato, Theaetetus 143d:
    νῦν δὲ ἧττον γὰρ ἐκείνους ἢ τούσδε φιλῶ, καὶ μᾶλλον ἐπιθυμῶ εἰδέναι τίνες ἡμῖν τῶν νέων ἐπίδοξοι γενέσθαι ἐπιεικεῖς.
    nûn dè hêtton gàr ekeínous ḕ toúsde philô, kaì mâllon epithumô eidénai tínes hēmîn tôn néōn epídoxoi genésthai epieikeîs.
    For right now I care less for people there than people here, and I very much want to know which of our young men are likely to turn out well.

Inflection

Present: ἐπῐθῡμέω, ἐπῐθῡμέομαι (Uncontracted)

number		singular			dual		plural
		first	second	third	second	third	first	second	third
active	indicative	ἐπῐθῡμέω	ἐπῐθῡμέεις	ἐπῐθῡμέει	ἐπῐθῡμέετον	ἐπῐθῡμέετον	ἐπῐθῡμέομεν	ἐπῐθῡμέετε	ἐπῐθῡμέουσῐ(ν)
	subjunctive	ἐπῐθῡμέω	ἐπῐθῡμέῃς	ἐπῐθῡμέῃ	ἐπῐθῡμέητον	ἐπῐθῡμέητον	ἐπῐθῡμέωμεν	ἐπῐθῡμέητε	ἐπῐθῡμέωσῐ(ν)
	optative	ἐπῐθῡμέοιμῐ	ἐπῐθῡμέοις	ἐπῐθῡμέοι	ἐπῐθῡμέοιτον	ἐπῐθῡμεοίτην	ἐπῐθῡμέοιμεν	ἐπῐθῡμέοιτε	ἐπῐθῡμέοιεν
	imperative		ἐπῐθῡ́μεε	ἐπῐθῡμεέτω	ἐπῐθῡμέετον	ἐπῐθῡμεέτων		ἐπῐθῡμέετε	ἐπῐθῡμεόντων
middle/ passive	indicative	ἐπῐθῡμέομαι	ἐπῐθῡμέῃ, ἐπῐθῡμέει	ἐπῐθῡμέεται	ἐπῐθῡμέεσθον	ἐπῐθῡμέεσθον	ἐπῐθῡμεόμεθᾰ	ἐπῐθῡμέεσθε	ἐπῐθῡμέονται
	subjunctive	ἐπῐθῡμέωμαι	ἐπῐθῡμέῃ	ἐπῐθῡμέηται	ἐπῐθῡμέησθον	ἐπῐθῡμέησθον	ἐπῐθῡμεώμεθᾰ	ἐπῐθῡμέησθε	ἐπῐθῡμέωνται
	optative	ἐπῐθῡμεοίμην	ἐπῐθῡμέοιο	ἐπῐθῡμέοιτο	ἐπῐθῡμέοισθον	ἐπῐθῡμεοίσθην	ἐπῐθῡμεοίμεθᾰ	ἐπῐθῡμέοισθε	ἐπῐθῡμέοιντο
	imperative		ἐπῐθῡμέου	ἐπῐθῡμεέσθω	ἐπῐθῡμέεσθον	ἐπῐθῡμεέσθων		ἐπῐθῡμέεσθε	ἐπῐθῡμεέσθων
		active				middle/passive
infinitive		ἐπῐθῡμέειν				ἐπῐθῡμέεσθαι
participle	m	ἐπῐθῡμέων				ἐπῐθῡμεόμενος
	f	ἐπῐθῡμέουσᾰ				ἐπῐθῡμεομένη
	n	ἐπῐθῡμέον				ἐπῐθῡμεόμενον
Notes:	This table gives Attic inflectional endings. For conjugation in dialects other than Attic, see Appendix:Ancient Greek dialectal conjugation.

Present: ἐπῐθῡμῶ, ἐπῐθῡμοῦμαι (Contracted)

number		singular			dual		plural
		first	second	third	second	third	first	second	third
active	indicative	ἐπῐθῡμῶ	ἐπῐθῡμεῖς	ἐπῐθῡμεῖ	ἐπῐθῡμεῖτον	ἐπῐθῡμεῖτον	ἐπῐθῡμοῦμεν	ἐπῐθῡμεῖτε	ἐπῐθῡμοῦσῐ(ν)
	subjunctive	ἐπῐθῡμῶ	ἐπῐθῡμῇς	ἐπῐθῡμῇ	ἐπῐθῡμῆτον	ἐπῐθῡμῆτον	ἐπῐθῡμῶμεν	ἐπῐθῡμῆτε	ἐπῐθῡμῶσῐ(ν)
	optative	ἐπῐθῡμοίην, ἐπῐθῡμοῖμῐ	ἐπῐθῡμοίης, ἐπῐθῡμοῖς	ἐπῐθῡμοίη, ἐπῐθῡμοῖ	ἐπῐθῡμοῖτον, ἐπῐθῡμοίητον	ἐπῐθῡμοίτην, ἐπῐθῡμοιήτην	ἐπῐθῡμοῖμεν, ἐπῐθῡμοίημεν	ἐπῐθῡμοῖτε, ἐπῐθῡμοίητε	ἐπῐθῡμοῖεν, ἐπῐθῡμοίησᾰν
	imperative		ἐπῐθῡ́μει	ἐπῐθῡμείτω	ἐπῐθῡμεῖτον	ἐπῐθῡμείτων		ἐπῐθῡμεῖτε	ἐπῐθῡμούντων
middle/ passive	indicative	ἐπῐθῡμοῦμαι	ἐπῐθῡμεῖ, ἐπῐθῡμῇ	ἐπῐθῡμεῖται	ἐπῐθῡμεῖσθον	ἐπῐθῡμεῖσθον	ἐπῐθῡμούμεθᾰ	ἐπῐθῡμεῖσθε	ἐπῐθῡμοῦνται
	subjunctive	ἐπῐθῡμῶμαι	ἐπῐθῡμῇ	ἐπῐθῡμῆται	ἐπῐθῡμῆσθον	ἐπῐθῡμῆσθον	ἐπῐθῡμώμεθᾰ	ἐπῐθῡμῆσθε	ἐπῐθῡμῶνται
	optative	ἐπῐθῡμοίμην	ἐπῐθῡμοῖο	ἐπῐθῡμοῖτο	ἐπῐθῡμοῖσθον	ἐπῐθῡμοίσθην	ἐπῐθῡμοίμεθᾰ	ἐπῐθῡμοῖσθε	ἐπῐθῡμοῖντο
	imperative		ἐπῐθῡμοῦ	ἐπῐθῡμείσθω	ἐπῐθῡμεῖσθον	ἐπῐθῡμείσθων		ἐπῐθῡμεῖσθε	ἐπῐθῡμείσθων
		active				middle/passive
infinitive		ἐπῐθῡμεῖν				ἐπῐθῡμεῖσθαι
participle	m	ἐπῐθῡμῶν				ἐπῐθῡμούμενος
	f	ἐπῐθῡμοῦσᾰ				ἐπῐθῡμουμένη
	n	ἐπῐθῡμοῦν				ἐπῐθῡμούμενον
Notes:	This table gives Attic inflectional endings. For conjugation in dialects other than Attic, see Appendix:Ancient Greek dialectal conjugation.

Imperfect: ἐπεθῡ́μεον, ἐπεθῡμεόμην (Uncontracted)

number		singular			dual		plural
		first	second	third	second	third	first	second	third
active	indicative	ἐπεθῡ́μεον	ἐπεθῡ́μεες	ἐπεθῡ́μεε(ν)	ἐπεθῡμέετον	ἐπεθῡμεέτην	ἐπεθῡμέομεν	ἐπεθῡμέετε	ἐπεθῡ́μεον
middle/ passive	indicative	ἐπεθῡμεόμην	ἐπεθῡμέου	ἐπεθῡμέετο	ἐπεθῡμέεσθον	ἐπεθῡμεέσθην	ἐπεθῡμεόμεθᾰ	ἐπεθῡμέεσθε	ἐπεθῡμέοντο
Notes:	This table gives Attic inflectional endings. For conjugation in dialects other than Attic, see Appendix:Ancient Greek dialectal conjugation.

Imperfect: ἐπεθῡ́μουν, ἐπεθῡμούμην (Contracted)

number		singular			dual		plural
		first	second	third	second	third	first	second	third
active	indicative	ἐπεθῡ́μουν	ἐπεθῡ́μεις	ἐπεθῡ́μει	ἐπεθῡμεῖτον	ἐπεθῡμείτην	ἐπεθῡμοῦμεν	ἐπεθῡμεῖτε	ἐπεθῡ́μουν
middle/ passive	indicative	ἐπεθῡμούμην	ἐπεθῡμοῦ	ἐπεθῡμεῖτο	ἐπεθῡμεῖσθον	ἐπεθῡμείσθην	ἐπεθῡμούμεθᾰ	ἐπεθῡμεῖσθε	ἐπεθῡμοῦντο
Notes:	This table gives Attic inflectional endings. For conjugation in dialects other than Attic, see Appendix:Ancient Greek dialectal conjugation.

Future: ἐπῐθῡμήσω, ἐπῐθῡμήσομαι

number		singular			dual		plural
		first	second	third	second	third	first	second	third
active	indicative	ἐπῐθῡμήσω	ἐπῐθῡμήσεις	ἐπῐθῡμήσει	ἐπῐθῡμήσετον	ἐπῐθῡμήσετον	ἐπῐθῡμήσομεν	ἐπῐθῡμήσετε	ἐπῐθῡμήσουσῐ(ν)
active	optative	ἐπῐθῡμήσοιμῐ	ἐπῐθῡμήσοις	ἐπῐθῡμήσοι	ἐπῐθῡμήσοιτον	ἐπῐθῡμησοίτην	ἐπῐθῡμήσοιμεν	ἐπῐθῡμήσοιτε	ἐπῐθῡμήσοιεν
middle	indicative	ἐπῐθῡμήσομαι	ἐπῐθῡμήσῃ, ἐπῐθῡμήσει	ἐπῐθῡμήσεται	ἐπῐθῡμήσεσθον	ἐπῐθῡμήσεσθον	ἐπῐθῡμησόμεθᾰ	ἐπῐθῡμήσεσθε	ἐπῐθῡμήσονται
middle	optative	ἐπῐθῡμησοίμην	ἐπῐθῡμήσοιο	ἐπῐθῡμήσοιτο	ἐπῐθῡμήσοισθον	ἐπῐθῡμησοίσθην	ἐπῐθῡμησοίμεθᾰ	ἐπῐθῡμήσοισθε	ἐπῐθῡμήσοιντο
		active			middle
infinitive		ἐπῐθῡμήσειν			ἐπῐθῡμήσεσθαι
participle	m	ἐπῐθῡμήσων			ἐπῐθῡμησόμενος
	f	ἐπῐθῡμήσουσᾰ			ἐπῐθῡμησομένη
	n	ἐπῐθῡμῆσον			ἐπῐθῡμησόμενον
Notes:	This table gives Attic inflectional endings. For conjugation in dialects other than Attic, see Appendix:Ancient Greek dialectal conjugation.

Aorist: ἐπεθῡ́μησᾰ, ἐπεθῡμησᾰ́μην, ἐπῐθῡμήθην

number		singular			dual		plural
		first	second	third	second	third	first	second	third
active	indicative	ἐπεθῡ́μησᾰ	ἐπεθῡ́μησᾰς	ἐπεθῡ́μησε(ν)	ἐπεθῡμήσᾰτον	ἐπεθῡμησᾰ́την	ἐπεθῡμήσᾰμεν	ἐπεθῡμήσᾰτε	ἐπεθῡ́μησᾰν
	subjunctive	ἐπῐθῡμήσω	ἐπῐθῡμήσῃς	ἐπῐθῡμήσῃ	ἐπῐθῡμήσητον	ἐπῐθῡμήσητον	ἐπῐθῡμήσωμεν	ἐπῐθῡμήσητε	ἐπῐθῡμήσωσῐ(ν)
	optative	ἐπῐθῡμήσαιμῐ	ἐπῐθῡμήσειᾰς, ἐπῐθῡμήσαις	ἐπῐθῡμήσειε(ν), ἐπῐθῡμήσαι	ἐπῐθῡμήσαιτον	ἐπῐθῡμησαίτην	ἐπῐθῡμήσαιμεν	ἐπῐθῡμήσαιτε	ἐπῐθῡμήσειᾰν, ἐπῐθῡμήσαιεν
	imperative		ἐπῐθῡ́μησον	ἐπῐθῡμησᾰ́τω	ἐπῐθῡμήσᾰτον	ἐπῐθῡμησᾰ́των		ἐπῐθῡμήσᾰτε	ἐπῐθῡμησᾰ́ντων
middle	indicative	ἐπεθῡμησᾰ́μην	ἐπεθῡμήσω	ἐπεθῡμήσᾰτο	ἐπεθῡμήσᾰσθον	ἐπεθῡμησᾰ́σθην	ἐπεθῡμησᾰ́μεθᾰ	ἐπεθῡμήσᾰσθε	ἐπεθῡμήσᾰντο
	subjunctive	ἐπῐθῡμήσωμαι	ἐπῐθῡμήσῃ	ἐπῐθῡμήσηται	ἐπῐθῡμήσησθον	ἐπῐθῡμήσησθον	ἐπῐθῡμησώμεθᾰ	ἐπῐθῡμήσησθε	ἐπῐθῡμήσωνται
	optative	ἐπῐθῡμησαίμην	ἐπῐθῡμήσαιο	ἐπῐθῡμήσαιτο	ἐπῐθῡμήσαισθον	ἐπῐθῡμησαίσθην	ἐπῐθῡμησαίμεθᾰ	ἐπῐθῡμήσαισθε	ἐπῐθῡμήσαιντο
	imperative		ἐπῐθῡ́μησαι	ἐπῐθῡμησᾰ́σθω	ἐπῐθῡμήσᾰσθον	ἐπῐθῡμησᾰ́σθων		ἐπῐθῡμήσᾰσθε	ἐπῐθῡμησᾰ́σθων
passive	indicative	ἐπῐθῡμήθην	ἐπῐθῡμήθης	ἐπῐθῡμήθη	ἐπῐθῡμήθητον	ἐπῐθῡμηθήτην	ἐπῐθῡμήθημεν	ἐπῐθῡμήθητε	ἐπῐθῡμήθησᾰν
	subjunctive	ἐπεθῡμηθῶ	ἐπεθῡμηθῇς	ἐπεθῡμηθῇ	ἐπεθῡμηθῆτον	ἐπεθῡμηθῆτον	ἐπεθῡμηθῶμεν	ἐπεθῡμηθῆτε	ἐπεθῡμηθῶσῐ(ν)
	optative	ἐπεθῡμηθείην	ἐπεθῡμηθείης	ἐπεθῡμηθείη	ἐπεθῡμηθεῖτον, ἐπεθῡμηθείητον	ἐπεθῡμηθείτην, ἐπεθῡμηθειήτην	ἐπεθῡμηθεῖμεν, ἐπεθῡμηθείημεν	ἐπεθῡμηθεῖτε, ἐπεθῡμηθείητε	ἐπεθῡμηθεῖεν, ἐπεθῡμηθείησᾰν
	imperative		ἐπεθῡμήθητῐ	ἐπεθῡμηθήτω	ἐπεθῡμήθητον	ἐπεθῡμηθήτων		ἐπεθῡμήθητε	ἐπεθῡμηθέντων
		active			middle		passive
infinitive		ἐπῐθῡμῆσαι			ἐπῐθῡμήσᾰσθαι		ἐπεθῡμηθῆναι
participle	m	ἐπῐθῡμήσᾱς			ἐπῐθῡμησᾰ́μενος		ἐπεθῡμηθείς
	f	ἐπῐθῡμήσᾱσᾰ			ἐπῐθῡμησᾰμένη		ἐπεθῡμηθεῖσᾰ
	n	ἐπῐθῡμῆσᾰν			ἐπῐθῡμησᾰ́μενον		ἐπεθῡμηθέν
Notes:	This table gives Attic inflectional endings. For conjugation in dialects other than Attic, see Appendix:Ancient Greek dialectal conjugation.

Derived terms

ἐπῐθῡ́μημα (epithū́mēma)
ἐπῐθῡ́μησις (epithū́mēsis)
ἐπῐθῡμήτειρα (epithūmḗteira)
ἐπῐθῡμητής (epithūmētḗs)
ἐπῐθῡμητικός (epithūmētikós)
ἐπῐθῡμητός (epithūmētós)

Related terms

ἐπῐθῡμίᾱ (epithūmíā)
ἐπῐ́θῡμος (epíthūmos)

References

“ἐπιθυμέω”, in Liddell & Scott (1940) A Greek–English Lexicon, Oxford: Clarendon Press
“ἐπιθυμέω”, in Liddell & Scott (1889) An Intermediate Greek–English Lexicon, New York: Harper & Brothers
ἐπιθυμέω in Bailly, Anatole (1935) Le Grand Bailly: Dictionnaire grec-français, Paris: Hachette
G1937 in Strong, James (1979) Strong’s Exhaustive Concordance to the Bible