θνῄσκω

Ancient Greek

Alternative forms

Etymology

From a root *θ(ᾰ)ν (*th(ă)n), with inchoative suffix -σκω (-skō). The root is probably from Proto-Indo-European *dʰenh₂- (“to set oneself in motion, to take off”), whence Sanskrit धन्वति (dhánvati, “to flow”).[1] The meaning "to die" would have developed as euphemism. θνῄσκω is then inherited from Proto-Indo-European *dʰn̥h₂-sḱé-ti.[2]

Older theories:

  • Pokorny[3] and Frisk[4] compare Sanskrit अध्व॑नीत् (ádhvanīt) (previously translated "he disappeared", but now rather "he fumed"[2]), ध्वा॒न्त (dhvāntá, “dark”), from a Proto-Indo-European *dʰwenh₂-. Beekes doubts this on the basis of the zero-grade forms, which would then be *θυνεῖν (*thuneîn), *θύνατος (*thúnatos).[5]
  • Sihler,[6] following analysis by Kent,[7] refers to Proto-Indo-European *gʷʰn̥h₂-, from *gʷʰen- (“to kill”), from which come θείνω (theínō, “slay”), φόνος (phónos, “murder”), and φᾰτός (phătós, “slain”). However, the phonetic development of *gʷʰ to θ in this position would be irregular. Already rejected by Frisk.[4]

Pronunciation

 

Verb

θνῄσκω • (thnēískō)

  1. to die; (aorist and perfect) to be dead
    • c. 800 BCE – 600 BCE, Homer, Iliad 7.52:
      οὐ γάρ πώ τοι μοῖρα θανεῖν καὶ πότμον ἐπισπεῖν
      ou gár pṓ toi moîra thaneîn kaì pótmon epispeîn
      Nor yet is it thy fate to die and meet thy doom.
  2. (serves as passive of κτείνω (kteínō, “kill”)) to be killed
    • c. 800 BCE – 600 BCE, Homer, Iliad 15.289:
      ἦ θήν μιν μάλα ἔλπετο θῡμὸς ἑκάστου
      χερσὶν ὑπ’ Αἴαντος θανέειν Τελαμωνιάδᾱο.
      ê thḗn min mála élpeto thūmòs hekástou
      khersìn hup’ Aíantos thanéein Telamōniádāo.
      Truly the heart of every one [of us] really hoped that [Hector] had been killed at the hands of Ajax son of Telamon.

Usage notes

In the present, the aorist and the future, the compound form ἀποθνῄσκω (apothnēískō) is often substituted.

Inflection

   Present: θνῄσκω
number singular dual plural
first second third second third first second third
active indicative θνῄσκω θνῄσκεις θνῄσκει θνῄσκετον θνῄσκετον θνῄσκομεν θνῄσκετε θνῄσκουσῐ(ν)
subjunctive θνῄσκω θνῄσκῃς θνῄσκῃ θνῄσκητον θνῄσκητον θνῄσκωμεν θνῄσκητε θνῄσκωσῐ(ν)
optative θνῄσκοιμῐ θνῄσκοις θνῄσκοι θνῄσκοιτον θνῃσκοίτην θνῄσκοιμεν θνῄσκοιτε θνῄσκοιεν
imperative   θνῇσκε θνῃσκέτω θνῄσκετον θνῃσκέτων   θνῄσκετε θνῃσκόντων
active
infinitive θνῄσκειν
participle m θνῄσκων
f θνῄσκουσᾰ
n θνῇσκον
Notes:
This table gives Attic inflectional endings. For conjugation in dialects other than Attic, see Appendix:Ancient Greek dialectal conjugation.
   Imperfect: ἔθνῃσκον
number singular dual plural
first second third second third first second third
active indicative ἔθνῃσκον ἔθνῃσκες ἔθνῃσκε(ν) ἐθνῄσκετον ἐθνῃσκέτην ἐθνῄσκομεν ἐθνῄσκετε ἔθνῃσκον
Notes:
This table gives Attic inflectional endings. For conjugation in dialects other than Attic, see Appendix:Ancient Greek dialectal conjugation.
   Future: θᾰνέομαι (Uncontracted)
number singular dual plural
first second third second third first second third
middle indicative θᾰνέομαι θᾰνέῃ,
θᾰνέει 		θᾰνέεται θᾰνέεσθον θᾰνέεσθον θᾰνεόμεθᾰ θᾰνέεσθε θᾰνέονται
optative θᾰνεοίμην θᾰνέοιο θᾰνέοιτο θᾰνέοισθον θᾰνεοίσθην θᾰνεοίμεθᾰ θᾰνέοισθε θᾰνέοιντο
middle
infinitive θᾰνέεσθαι
participle m θᾰνεόμενος
f θᾰνεομένη
n θᾰνεόμενον
Notes:
This table gives Attic inflectional endings. For conjugation in dialects other than Attic, see Appendix:Ancient Greek dialectal conjugation.
   Future: θᾰνοῦμαι (Contracted)
number singular dual plural
first second third second third first second third
middle indicative θᾰνοῦμαι θᾰνῇ θᾰνεῖται θᾰνεῖσθον θᾰνεῖσθον θᾰνούμεθᾰ θᾰνεῖσθε θᾰνοῦνται
optative θᾰνοίμην θᾰνοῖο θᾰνοῖτο θᾰνοῖσθον θᾰνοίσθην θᾰνοίμεθᾰ θᾰνοῖσθε θᾰνοῖντο
middle
infinitive θᾰνεῖσθαι
participle m θᾰνούμενος
f θᾰνουμένη
n θᾰνούμενον
Notes:
This table gives Attic inflectional endings. For conjugation in dialects other than Attic, see Appendix:Ancient Greek dialectal conjugation.
   Future: θνήξομαι
number singular dual plural
first second third second third first second third
middle indicative θνήξομαι θνήξῃ,
θνήξει 		θνήξεται θνήξεσθον θνήξεσθον θνηξόμεθᾰ θνήξεσθε θνήξονται
optative θνηξοίμην θνήξοιο θνήξοιτο θνήξοισθον θνηξοίσθην θνηξοίμεθᾰ θνήξοισθε θνήξοιντο
middle
infinitive θνήξεσθαι
participle m θνηξόμενος
f θνηξομένη
n θνηξόμενον
Notes:
This table gives Attic inflectional endings. For conjugation in dialects other than Attic, see Appendix:Ancient Greek dialectal conjugation.
   Aorist: ἔθᾰνον
number singular dual plural
first second third second third first second third
active indicative ἔθᾰνον ἔθᾰνες ἔθᾰνε(ν) ἐθᾰ́νετον ἐθᾰνέτην ἐθᾰ́νομεν ἐθᾰ́νετε ἔθᾰνον
subjunctive θᾰ́νω θᾰ́νῃς θᾰ́νῃ θᾰ́νητον θᾰ́νητον θᾰ́νωμεν θᾰ́νητε θᾰ́νωσῐ(ν)
optative θᾰ́νοιμῐ θᾰ́νοις θᾰ́νοι θᾰ́νοιτον θᾰνοίτην θᾰ́νοιμεν θᾰ́νοιτε θᾰ́νοιεν
imperative   θᾰ́νε θᾰνέτω θᾰ́νετον θᾰνέτων   θᾰ́νετε θᾰνόντων
active
infinitive θᾰνεῖν
participle m θᾰνών
f θᾰνοῦσᾰ
n θᾰνόν
Notes:
This table gives Attic inflectional endings. For conjugation in dialects other than Attic, see Appendix:Ancient Greek dialectal conjugation.
   Aorist: θᾰ́νον (Epic)
number singular dual plural
first second third second third first second third
active indicative θᾰ́νον θᾰ́νες θᾰ́νε(ν) θᾰ́νετον θᾰνέτην θᾰ́νομεν θᾰ́νετε θᾰ́νον
subjunctive θᾰ́νω,
θᾰ́νωμῐ 		θᾰ́νῃς,
θᾰ́νῃσθᾰ 		θᾰ́νῃ,
θᾰ́νῃσῐ(ν) 		θᾰ́νητον θᾰ́νητον θᾰ́νωμεν θᾰ́νητε θᾰ́νωσῐ(ν)
optative θᾰ́νοιμῐ θᾰ́νοις,
θᾰ́νοισθᾰ 		θᾰ́νοι θᾰνεῖτον θᾰνείτην θᾰνεῖμεν θᾰνεῖτε θᾰνεῖεν
imperative   θᾰ́νε θᾰνέτω θᾰ́νετον θᾰνέτων   θᾰ́νετε θᾰνόντων
active
infinitive θᾰνεῖν,
θᾰνέμεν(αι)
participle m θᾰνών
f θᾰνοῦσᾰ
n θᾰνόν
Notes:
Dialects other than Attic are not well attested. Some forms are based on conjecture. Use with caution. For more details, see Appendix:Ancient Greek dialectal conjugation.
   Perfect: τέθνηκᾰ
number singular dual plural
first second third second third first second third
active indicative τέθνηκᾰ τέθνηκᾰς τέθνηκε(ν) τεθνήκᾰτον τεθνήκᾰτον τεθνήκᾰμεν τεθνήκᾰτε τεθνήκᾱσῐ(ν)
subjunctive τεθνήκω τεθνήκῃς τεθνήκῃ τεθνήκητον τεθνήκητον τεθνήκωμεν τεθνήκητε τεθνήκωσῐ(ν)
optative τεθνήκοιμῐ,
τεθνηκοίην 		τεθνήκοις,
τεθνηκοίης 		τεθνήκοι,
τεθνηκοίη 		τεθνήκοιτον τεθνηκοίτην τεθνήκοιμεν τεθνήκοιτε τεθνήκοιεν
imperative   τέθνηκε τεθνηκέτω τεθνήκετον τεθνηκέτων   τεθνήκετε τεθνηκόντων
active
infinitive τεθνηκέναι
participle m τεθνηκώς
f τεθνηκυῖᾰ
n τεθνηκός
Notes:
This table gives Attic inflectional endings. For conjugation in dialects other than Attic, see Appendix:Ancient Greek dialectal conjugation.
   Perfect: τέθνᾰτον (Epic)
number singular dual plural
first second third second third first second third
active indicative       τέθνᾰτον τέθνᾰτον τέθνᾰμεν τέθνᾰτε τεθνᾶσῐ(ν)
subjunctive τεθνῶ,
τεθνῶμῐ 		τεθνῇς,
τεθνῇσθᾰ 		τεθνῇ,
τεθνῇσῐ(ν) 		τεθνῆτον τεθνῆτον τεθνῶμεν τεθνῆτε τεθνῶσῐ(ν)
optative τεθναίην τεθναίης τεθναίη τεθναῖτον τεθναίτην τεθναῖμεν τεθναῖτε τεθναῖεν
imperative   τέθνᾰθῐ τεθνᾰ́τω τέθνᾰτον τεθνᾰ́των   τέθνᾰτε τεθνᾰ́ντων
active
infinitive τεθνᾰ́μεν(αι)
participle m τεθνεώς,
τεθνηώς
f τεθνεῶσᾰ,
τεθνηῶσᾰ
n τεθνεός,
τεθνηός
Notes:
Dialects other than Attic are not well attested. Some forms are based on conjecture. Use with caution. For more details, see Appendix:Ancient Greek dialectal conjugation.
   Pluperfect: ἐτεθνήκειν
number singular dual plural
first second third second third first second third
active indicative ἐτεθνήκειν,
ἐτεθνήκη 		ἐτεθνήκεις,
ἐτεθνήκης 		ἐτεθνήκει(ν) ἐτεθνήκετον ἐτεθνηκέτην ἐτεθνήκεμεν ἐτεθνήκετε ἐτεθνήκεσᾰν
Notes:
This table gives Attic inflectional endings. For conjugation in dialects other than Attic, see Appendix:Ancient Greek dialectal conjugation.
   Pluperfect: ἐτέθνᾰτον
number singular dual plural
first second third second third first second third
active indicative       ἐτέθνᾰτον ἐτεθνᾰ́την ἐτέθνᾰμεν ἐτέθνᾰτε ἐτέθνᾰσᾰν
Notes:
This table gives Attic inflectional endings. For conjugation in dialects other than Attic, see Appendix:Ancient Greek dialectal conjugation.
   Future perfect: τεθνήξω, τεθνήξομαι
number singular dual plural
first second third second third first second third
active indicative τεθνήξω τεθνήξεις τεθνήξει τεθνήξετον τεθνήξετον τεθνήξομεν τεθνήξετε τεθνήξουσῐ(ν)
optative τεθνήξοιμῐ τεθνήξοις τεθνήξοι τεθνήξοιτον τεθνηξοίτην τεθνήξοιμεν τεθνήξοιτε τεθνήξοιεν
middle/passive indicative τεθνήξομαι τεθνήξῃ,
τεθνήξει 		τεθνήξεται τεθνήξεσθον τεθνήξεσθον τεθνηξόμεθᾰ τεθνήξεσθε τεθνήξονται
optative τεθνηξοίμην τεθνήξοιο τεθνήξοιτο τεθνήξοισθον τεθνηξοίσθην τεθνηξοίμεθᾰ τεθνήξοισθε τεθνήξοιντο
active middle/passive
infinitive τεθνήξειν τεθνήξεσθαι
participle m τεθνήξων τεθνηξόμενος
f τεθνήξουσᾰ τεθνηξομένη
n τεθνῆξον τεθνηξόμενον
Notes:
This table gives Attic inflectional endings. For conjugation in dialects other than Attic, see Appendix:Ancient Greek dialectal conjugation.

Derived terms

  • ἀμφιθνῄσκω (amphithnēískō)
  • ἀντιθνῄσκω (antithnēískō)
  • ἀποθνῄσκω (apothnēískō)
  • δυσθνῄσκω (dusthnēískō)
  • ἐκθνῄσκω (ekthnēískō)
  • ἐνθνῄσκω (enthnēískō)
  • εὐθνήσιμος (euthnḗsimos)
  • θανάσιμος (thanásimos)
  • θάνατος (thánatos)
  • θνησαῖον (thnēsaîon)
  • θνησείδιον (thnēseídion)
  • θνῆσις (thnêsis)
  • θνητός (thnētós)
  • καταθνῄσκω (katathnēískō)
  • περιθνῄσκω (perithnēískō)
  • προθνῄσκω (prothnēískō)
  • συνθνῄσκω (sunthnēískō)
  • ὑπερθνῄσκω (huperthnēískō)

References

  1. ^ Kölligan, Daniel (2017–2018), “Chapter XX: Proto-Indo-European”, in Klein, Jared S., Joseph, Brian D., Fritz, Matthias, editors, Handbook of Comparative and Historical Indo-European Linguistics: An International Handbook (Handbücher zur Sprach- und Kommunikationswissenschaft [Handbooks of Linguistics and Communication Science]; 41.2), Berlin; Boston: De Gruyter Mouton, →ISBN, § The lexicon of Proto-Indo-European, page 2260
  2. ↑ 2.0 2.1 Rix, Helmut, editor (2001), “*dʰenh₂-”, in Lexikon der indogermanischen Verben [Lexicon of Indo-European Verbs] (in German), 2nd edition, Wiesbaden: Dr. Ludwig Reichert Verlag, →ISBN, pages 144–5
  3. ^ Pokorny, Julius (1959), “5. n-Erw.: dhu̯en(ə)-”, in Indogermanisches etymologisches Wörterbuch [Indo-European Etymological Dictionary] (in German), volume 1, Bern, München: Francke Verlag, page 266
  4. ↑ 4.0 4.1 Frisk, Hjalmar (1960–1972), “θάνατος”, in Griechisches etymologisches Wörterbuch (in German), Heidelberg: Carl Winter
  5. ^ Beekes, Robert S. P. (2010), “θάνατος”, in Etymological Dictionary of Greek (Leiden Indo-European Etymological Dictionary Series; 10), with the assistance of Lucien van Beek, Leiden, Boston: Brill, →ISBN, pages 533-4
  6. ^ Sihler, Andrew L. (1995), New Comparative Grammar of Greek and Latin, Oxford, New York: Oxford University Press, →ISBN, page 52: “*gʷhn̥H₂-”
  7. ^ Kent, Roland G. (1935), “The Etymology of Greek Thanatos and Its Kin” in Language, vol. 11, no. 3, pages 207-10

Further reading

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