πρίν

See also: πριν

Ancient Greek

Alternative forms

πρείν (preín) — Cretan

Etymology

Appears to be related to πρό (pró), Latin prior, priscus and Lithuanian prie, but the exact formation is uncertain. Perhaps from an old locative *pr-i of Proto-Indo-European *pró (“forward”).^[1]

Pronunciation

(Attic, Epic, Ionic, etc.):

(5^th BCE Attic) IPA^(key): /prín/
(1^st CE Egyptian) IPA^(key): /ˈprin/
(4^th CE Koine) IPA^(key): /ˈprin/
(10^th CE Byzantine) IPA^(key): /ˈprin/
(15^th CE Constantinopolitan) IPA^(key): /ˈprin/

(Epic variant):

(5^th BCE Attic) IPA^(key): /prǐːn/
(1^st CE Egyptian) IPA^(key): /ˈprin/
(4^th CE Koine) IPA^(key): /ˈprin/
(10^th CE Byzantine) IPA^(key): /ˈprin/
(15^th CE Constantinopolitan) IPA^(key): /ˈprin/

The vowel is usually short, but occasionally long in Epic for the sake of metre.

Adverb

πρῑ̆́ν • (prī̆́n)

before; sooner; formerly
1. (of future time, with future indicative)
  - c. 800 BCE – 600 BCE, Homer, Iliad 1.29
  - c. 800 BCE – 600 BCE, Homer, Iliad 18.283
  - c. 800 BCE – 600 BCE, Homer, Odyssey 2.198
  - c. 800 BCE – 600 BCE, Homer, Iliad 24.551
  - c. 800 BCE – 600 BCE, Homer, Odyssey 3.117
  - c. 800 BCE – 600 BCE, Homer, Odyssey 11.330
  - c. 800 BCE – 600 BCE, Homer, Odyssey 14.155
  - 421 BCE, Aristophanes, Peace 1076
  - 421 BCE, Aristophanes, Peace 1112
  - c. 800 BCE – 600 BCE, Homer, Iliad 24.800
  - c. 800 BCE – 600 BCE, Homer, Iliad 9.250
  - c. 800 BCE – 600 BCE, Homer, Iliad 2.413
  - c. 800 BCE – 600 BCE, Homer, Odyssey 4.254
2. (of past time) formerly, once
  - c. 800 BCE – 600 BCE, Homer, Iliad 2.112
  - c. 800 BCE – 600 BCE, Homer, Iliad 9.19
  - c. 800 BCE – 600 BCE, Homer, Iliad 23.827
  - c. 800 BCE – 600 BCE, Homer, Odyssey 4.724
  - c. 800 BCE – 600 BCE, Homer, Odyssey 3.408
  - c. 800 BCE – 600 BCE, Homer, Iliad 5.54
  - c. 800 BCE – 600 BCE, Homer, Iliad 13.105
  - c. 800 BCE – 600 BCE, Homer, Iliad 16.208
  - 525 BCE – 455 BCE, Aeschylus, Prometheus Bound 443
  - 460 BCE – 430 BCE, Herodotus, Histories 1.129
  - 428 BCE – 347 BCE, Plato, Phaedo 75E
  - 525 BCE – 455 BCE, Aeschylus, Prometheus Bound 151
  - 406 BCE, Sophocles, Oedipus at Colonus 69
  - 409 BCE, Sophocles, Philoctetes 1224
  - 431 BCE – 404 BCE, Thucydides, History of the Peloponnesian War 2.62
  - 460 BCE – 430 BCE, Herodotus, Histories 8.37
  - 375 BCE, Plato, The Republic 547C
  - c. 518 BCE – 450 BCE, Bacchylides, Collected Works 12.114
  - c. 518 BCE – 450 BCE, Bacchylides, Collected Works 15.13
  - 522 BCE – 443 BCE, Pindar, Pythian Ode 4.43
  - 75 CE, Josephus, The Jewish War 1.6.1
  - 100 CE – 200 CE, Theodotion, Susanna 42
  - 160 CE – 210 CE, Sextus Empiricus, Against the Mathematicians 9.371
  - 86 CE – 160 CE, Arrian, Anabasis of Alexander 3.18.6
  - 160 CE – 210 CE, Sextus Empiricus, Outlines of Pyrrhonism 7.162
  - 300 BCE – 200 BCE, Septuagint, Tobit 14.15
  - 384 BCE – 322 BCE, Demosthenes, Against Stephanus 2 21

Conjunction

πρῐ́ν or πρῑ́ν • (prĭ́n or prī́n)

before that, before
- c. 800 BCE – 600 BCE, Homer, Iliad 1.98
- c. 800 BCE – 600 BCE, Homer, Iliad 7.481
- c. 800 BCE – 600 BCE, Homer, Odyssey 19.475
- c. 800 BCE – 600 BCE, Homer, Iliad 2.355
- 416 BCE, Euripides, Herakles 605
- c. 800 BCE – 600 BCE, Homer, Iliad 2.348
- c. 800 BCE – 600 BCE, Homer, Iliad 8.453
- c. 800 BCE – 600 BCE, Homer, Odyssey 19.586
- 391 BCE, Aristophanes, Assemblywomen 620
- 440 BCE – 390 BCE, Andocides, Against Alcibiades 17
- 341 BCE, Demosthenes, Third Philippic 61
- 409 BCE, Sophocles, Philoctetes 199
- 428 BCE – 347 BCE, Plato, Phaedo 62C
- 346 BCE, Aeschines, Against Timarchus 10
- 440 BCE – 390 BCE, Andocides, Against Alcibiades 1
- c. 370 BCE, Xenophon, Cyropaedia 5.2.9
- c. 800 BCE – 600 BCE, Homer, Odyssey 17.9
- c. 370 BCE, Xenophon, Cyropaedia 1.4.23
- c. 370 BCE, Xenophon, Anabasis 1.1.10
- 522 BCE – 443 BCE, Pindar, Pythian Ode 2.92
- c. 800 BCE – 600 BCE, Homer, Odyssey 2.128
- c. 800 BCE – 600 BCE, Homer, Iliad 5.219
- c. 800 BCE – 600 BCE, Homer, Iliad 16.322
- 480 BCE – 411 BCE, Antiphon of Rhamnus, Against the Stepmother for Poisoning 29
- 431 BCE – 404 BCE, Thucydides, History of the Peloponnesian War 4.79
- 431 BCE – 404 BCE, Thucydides, History of the Peloponnesian War 4.104
- 431 BCE – 404 BCE, Thucydides, History of the Peloponnesian War 6.97
- 431 BCE – 404 BCE, Thucydides, History of the Peloponnesian War 8.12
- c. 370 BCE, Xenophon, Anabasis 4.1.21
- c. 370 BCE, Xenophon, Cyropaedia 2.4.25
- c. 800 BCE – 600 BCE, Homer, Iliad 5.288
- c. 800 BCE – 600 BCE, Homer, Iliad 22.266
- 460 BCE – 430 BCE, Herodotus, Histories 1.136
- 460 BCE – 430 BCE, Herodotus, Histories 1.165
- 431 BCE – 404 BCE, Thucydides, History of the Peloponnesian War 5.61
- 445 BCE – 380 BCE, Lysias, Against Andocides 11
- 436 BCE – 338 BCE, Isocrates, Panegyricus 19
- 396 BCE – 323 BCE, Lycurgus of Athens, Collected Works 128
- 343 BCE, Aeschines, On the Embassy 132
- c. 370 BCE, Xenophon, Cyropaedia 1.4.23
- c. 370 BCE, Xenophon, Anabasis 4.5.1
- 300 BCE – 200 BCE, Septuagint, Genesis 29.26
1. (with infinitive)
  1. (with aorist)
    1. (after a positive clause)
      - c. 800 BCE – 600 BCE, Homer, Iliad 13.172
      - c. 800 BCE – 600 BCE, Homer, Iliad 8.453
      - c. 800 BCE – 600 BCE, Homer, Iliad 16.322
      - c. 800 BCE – 600 BCE, Homer, Odyssey 1.210
      - c. 800 BCE – 600 BCE, Homer, Odyssey 4.668
      - c. 800 BCE – 600 BCE, Homer, Iliad 6.465
      - c. 800 BCE – 600 BCE, Homer, Iliad 24.245
      - 522 BCE – 443 BCE, Pindar, Pythian Ode 2.92
      - 522 BCE – 443 BCE, Pindar, Pythian Ode 3.9
      - 522 BCE – 443 BCE, Pindar, Nemean Ode 8.19
      - 460 BCE – 430 BCE, Herodotus, Histories 6.119
      - 472 BCE, Aeschylus, The Persians 712
      - 458 BCE, Aeschylus, Agamemnon 1539
      - 442 BCE, Sophocles, Antigone 120
      - c. 450 BCE, Sophocles, Women of Trachis 396
      - 438 BCE, Euripides, Alcestis 281
      - 424 BCE, Aristophanes, The Knights 258
      - 480 BCE – 411 BCE, Antiphon of Rhamnus, On the Murder of Herodes 67
      - 431 BCE – 404 BCE, Thucydides, History of the Peloponnesian War 1.125
      - c. 370 BCE, Xenophon, Anabasis 4.1.7
      - 428 BCE – 347 BCE, Plato, Protagoras 350B
      - 425 BCE, Euripides, Andromache 1069
      - 413 BCE, Euripides, Ion 524
      - c. 440 BCE, Euripides, Rhesus 684
      - 405 BCE, Aristophanes, The Frogs 481
    2. (after a negative clause)
      - c. 800 BCE – 600 BCE, Homer, Iliad 1.98
      - c. 800 BCE – 600 BCE, Homer, Iliad 19.423
      - c. 800 BCE – 600 BCE, Homer, Odyssey 2.128
      - c. 800 BCE – 600 BCE, Homer, Odyssey 4.747
      - c. 445 BCE, Sophocles, Ajax 1419
      - 440 BCE – 390 BCE, Andocides, Against Alcibiades 8
      - 445 BCE – 380 BCE, Lysias, On the Property of Aristophanes 28
      - 349 BCE, Demosthenes, Third Olynthiac 12
      - 396 BCE – 323 BCE, Lycurgus of Athens, Collected Works 135
      - c. 370 BCE, Xenophon, Cyropaedia 8.1.38
      - 436 BCE – 338 BCE, Isocrates, To Philip 70
      - 480 BCE – 406 BCE, Euripides, Fragments 453.6
      - c. 450 BCE, Sophocles, Women of Trachis 632
      - 438 BCE, Euripides, Alcestis 362
      - c. 440 BCE, Euripides, Rhesus 61
      - 445 BCE – 380 BCE, Lysias, On the Property of Aristophanes 55
      - 431 BCE, Euripides, Medea 94
      - 416 BCE, Euripides, Herakles 605
      - 346 BCE, Demosthenes, On the Peace 15
      - 430 BCE – 354 BCE, Xenophon, Oeconomicus 4.24
      - 470 BCE, Aeschylus, The Suppliants 772
      - 428 BCE – 347 BCE, Plato, Laws 769E
      - 460 BCE – 430 BCE, Herodotus, Histories 1.165
      - 460 BCE – 430 BCE, Herodotus, Histories 4.9
      - 431 BCE – 404 BCE, Thucydides, History of the Peloponnesian War 7.50
      - 430 BCE – 354 BCE, Xenophon, Hellenica 6.5.23
      - 428 BCE – 347 BCE, Plato, Phaedo 61A
  2. (with present, conveying a sense of continuance)
    - 470 BCE, Aeschylus, The Suppliants 702
    - 458 BCE, Aeschylus, Agamemnon 1067
    - 406 BCE, Sophocles, Oedipus at Colonus 36
    - c. 420 BCE, Sophocles, Electra 20
    - 425 BCE, Euripides, Andromache 577
    - 408 BCE, Euripides, Orestes 1095
    - 411 BCE, Aristophanes, Thesmophoriazusae 380
    - 425 BCE, Aristophanes, The Acharnians 383
    - 460 BCE – 430 BCE, Herodotus, Histories 8.3
    - 440 BCE – 390 BCE, Andocides, Against Alcibiades 1
    - 431 BCE – 404 BCE, Thucydides, History of the Peloponnesian War 3.24
    - 428 BCE – 347 BCE, Plato, Laws 666A
    - c. 370 BCE, Xenophon, Cyropaedia 2.4.25
    - 430 BCE – 354 BCE, Xenophon, Memorabilia 1.2.40
  3. (with perfect)
    - 431 BCE, Euripides, Medea 79
    - c. 415 BCE, Euripides, Electra 1069
    - 460 BCE – 430 BCE, Herodotus, Histories 3.25
    - 408 BCE, Euripides, The Phoenician Women 1145
    - 414 BCE, Aristophanes, The Birds 1034
    - 422 BCE, Aristophanes, The Wasps 1156
    - 421 BCE, Aristophanes, Peace 375
    - 411 BCE, Aristophanes, Lysistrata 322
    - 405 BCE, Aristophanes, The Frogs 1185
    - c. 370 BCE, Xenophon, Anabasis 4.1.21
    - 366 BCE – 348 BCE, Plato, Theaetetus 164C
    - 428 BCE – 347 BCE, Plato, Protagoras 320A
    - 460 BCE – 430 BCE, Herodotus, Histories 6.116
    - 431 BCE – 404 BCE, Thucydides, History of the Peloponnesian War 5.10
2. (with a finite verb)
  1. (with indicative, chiefly aorist)
    - 7th–6th centuries BC, Homeric Hymn to Apollo 357
    - c. 800 BCE – 600 BCE, Homer, Odyssey 13.322
    - c. 800 BCE – 600 BCE, Homer, Odyssey 23.43
    - c. 800 BCE – 600 BCE, Homer, Iliad 12.437
    - c. 800 BCE – 600 BCE, Homer, Odyssey 4.180
    - c. 800 BCE – 600 BCE, Homer, Iliad 9.588
    1. (after negative clauses)
      - 525 BCE – 455 BCE, Aeschylus, Prometheus Bound 481
      - 460 BCE – 430 BCE, Herodotus, Histories 6.45
      - 431 BCE – 404 BCE, Thucydides, History of the Peloponnesian War 1.132
      - 431 BCE – 404 BCE, Thucydides, History of the Peloponnesian War 3.101
      - 431 BCE – 404 BCE, Thucydides, History of the Peloponnesian War 5.61
      - 460 BCE – 430 BCE, Herodotus, Histories 6.79
      - 414 BCE, Aristophanes, The Birds 700
      - c. 370 BCE, Xenophon, Cyropaedia 1.4.23
      - c. 370 BCE, Xenophon, Cyropaedia 4.5.13
      - 430 BCE – 354 BCE, Xenophon, Hellenica 5.4.58
      - 428 BCE – 347 BCE, Plato, Phaedrus 266A
      - 384 BCE – 322 BCE, Aristotle, Constitution of the Athenians 12.5
      - c. 385 BCE, Plato, Meno 86D
      - 366 BCE – 348 BCE, Plato, Theaetetus 165E
      - 384 BCE – 322 BCE, Demosthenes, Against Leptines 96
      - c. 370 BCE, Xenophon, Anabasis 2.5.33
      - 431 BCE – 404 BCE, Thucydides, History of the Peloponnesian War 1.51
      - 431 BCE – 404 BCE, Thucydides, History of the Peloponnesian War 3.29
      - 480 BCE – 411 BCE, Antiphon of Rhamnus, Against the Stepmother for Poisoning 19
      - 440 BCE – 390 BCE, Andocides, Against Alcibiades 17
      - 341 BCE, Demosthenes, Third Philippic 61
    2. (after positive clauses)
      - 525 BCE – 455 BCE, Aeschylus, Prometheus Bound 481
      - 431 BCE – 404 BCE, Thucydides, History of the Peloponnesian War 1.118
      - 429 BCE, Sophocles, Oedipus Rex 776
      - 424 BCE, Euripides, Hecuba 131
      - 431 BCE, Euripides, Medea 1173
      - 425 BCE, Euripides, Andromache 1147
      - 431 BCE – 404 BCE, Thucydides, History of the Peloponnesian War 3.104
      - 431 BCE – 404 BCE, Thucydides, History of the Peloponnesian War 7.39
      - 431 BCE – 404 BCE, Thucydides, History of the Peloponnesian War 7.71
  2. (with subjunctive, after negatives)
    - 436 BCE – 338 BCE, Isocrates, Panegyricus 173
    - c. 800 BCE – 600 BCE, Homer, Odyssey 10.175
    - c. 800 BCE – 600 BCE, Homer, Iliad 18.135
    - c. 800 BCE – 600 BCE, Homer, Iliad 18.190
    - c. 800 BCE – 600 BCE, Homer, Iliad 24.781
    - c. 800 BCE – 600 BCE, Homer, Odyssey 2.374
    - c. 800 BCE – 600 BCE, Homer, Odyssey 4.477
    1. (with aorist, expressing an action preceding the action of the antecedent)
      - 460 BCE – 430 BCE, Herodotus, Histories 4.117
      - 460 BCE – 430 BCE, Herodotus, Histories 1.82
      - 460 BCE – 430 BCE, Herodotus, Histories 3.109
      - 525 BCE – 455 BCE, Aeschylus, Prometheus Bound 756
      - 525 BCE – 455 BCE, Aeschylus, Prometheus Bound 166
      - 525 BCE – 455 BCE, Aeschylus, Prometheus Bound 177
      - 406 BCE, Sophocles, Oedipus at Colonus 909
      - 406 BCE, Sophocles, Oedipus at Colonus 48
      - 406 BCE, Sophocles, Oedipus at Colonus 1041
      - 429 BCE, Sophocles, Oedipus Rex 1529
      - c. 450 BCE, Sophocles, Women of Trachis 2
      - 431 BCE, Euripides, Medea 276
      - 431 BCE, Euripides, Medea 680
      - 438 BCE, Euripides, Alcestis 1145
      - 407 BCE, Euripides, Iphigenia in Aulis 324
      - 413 BCE, Euripides, Iphigenia in Tauris 19
      - 413 BCE, Euripides, Iphigenia in Tauris 1302
      - 422 BCE, Aristophanes, The Wasps 920
      - 425 BCE, Aristophanes, The Acharnians 176
      - 425 BCE, Aristophanes, The Acharnians 230
      - 430 BCE – 354 BCE, Xenophon, Hiero 6.13
      - c. 370 BCE, Xenophon, Cyropaedia 1.2.8
      - c. 370 BCE, Xenophon, Anabasis 1.1.10
      - c. 370 BCE, Xenophon, Anabasis 5.7.12
      - 428 BCE – 347 BCE, Plato, Phaedrus 228C
      - 428 BCE – 347 BCE, Plato, Laches 187E
      - 429 BCE, Sophocles, Oedipus Rex 1529
      - 411 BCE, Aristophanes, Lysistrata 704
      - 409 BCE, Sophocles, Philoctetes 917
      - 442 BCE, Sophocles, Antigone 619
      - c. 445 BCE, Sophocles, Ajax 742
      - c. 445 BCE, Sophocles, Ajax 965
      - c. 450 BCE, Sophocles, Women of Trachis 608
      - c. 450 BCE, Sophocles, Women of Trachis 946
      - 438 BCE, Euripides, Alcestis 849
      - 408 BCE, Euripides, Orestes 1218
      - 408 BCE, Euripides, Orestes 1357
      - 391 BCE, Aristophanes, Assemblywomen 629
      - 460 BCE – 430 BCE, Herodotus, Histories 4.157
      - 431 BCE – 404 BCE, Thucydides, History of the Peloponnesian War 6.29
      - 428 BCE – 347 BCE, Plato, Phaedo 62C
      - 390 BCE – 322 BCE, Hyperides, In Defence of Euxenippus 4
      - 460 BCE – 430 BCE, Herodotus, Histories 1.19
      - 360 BCE, Plato, Timaeus 57B
      - 460 BCE – 430 BCE, Herodotus, Histories 7.10
      - 445 BCE – 380 BCE, Lysias, Against the Corn Dealers 4
      - 436 BCE – 338 BCE, Isocrates, Panegyricus 16
      - 384 BCE – 322 BCE, Demosthenes, Against Nausimachus and Xenopeithes 24
    2. (with present, rare)
      - 409 BCE, Sophocles, Philoctetes 1409
      - 346 BCE, Aeschines, Against Timarchus 10
      - 480 BCE – 411 BCE, Antiphon of Rhamnus, Against the Stepmother for Poisoning 29
      - c. 370 BCE, Xenophon, Cyropaedia 2.2.8
      - 428 BCE – 347 BCE, Plato, Phaedrus 271C
  3. (with optative)
    1. (representing subjective after historical tenses)
      - c. 800 BCE – 600 BCE, Homer, Iliad 21.580
      - c. 800 BCE – 600 BCE, Homer, Iliad 9.488
      - 409 BCE, Sophocles, Philoctetes 551
      - 431 BCE – 404 BCE, Thucydides, History of the Peloponnesian War 3.22
      - c. 370 BCE, Xenophon, Cyropaedia 1.4.14
      - 430 BCE – 354 BCE, Xenophon, Hellenica 6.5.19
      - c. 370 BCE, Xenophon, Anabasis 1.2.2
      - 400 BCE – 387 BCE, Plato, Apology 36C
    2. (by assimilation)
      - 409 BCE, Sophocles, Philoctetes 961
      - c. 450 BCE, Sophocles, Women of Trachis 657
      - 6th century BC, Theognis of Megara, Elegies 126
      - 428 BCE – 347 BCE, Plato, Laws 799D
      - 429 BCE, Sophocles, Oedipus Rex 505
  4. (with ἄν (án))
    - 480 BCE – 411 BCE, Antiphon of Rhamnus, On the Murder of Herodes 34
    - 430 BCE – 354 BCE, Xenophon, Hellenica 2.3.48
    - 430 BCE – 354 BCE, Xenophon, Hellenica 2.4.18
  5. (without a verb)
    - c. 800 BCE – 600 BCE, Homer, Odyssey 15.394

Derived terms

πρῐ̀ν ᾰ̓́ν (prĭ̀n ắn)
πρῐ́ν γ’ (prĭ́n g’)
πρῐ́ν γ’ ὅτε (prĭ́n g’ hóte)
πρῐ́ν γ’ ὅτε δή (prĭ́n g’ hóte dḗ)
πρῐ́ν γε δή (prĭ́n ge dḗ)
πρῐ̀ν ἤ (prĭ̀n ḗ)
πρῐ̀ν οὗ (prĭ̀n hoû)
πρῐ̀ν ὥρη (prĭ̀n hṓrē)

Descendants

Greek: πριν (prin)
Pontic Greek: πριν (prin)
- → Laz: პრი (p̌ri), პი (p̌i) — Atina

References

^ Beekes, Robert S. P. (2010), “πρίν”, in Etymological Dictionary of Greek (Leiden Indo-European Etymological Dictionary Series; 10), with the assistance of Lucien van Beek, Leiden, Boston: Brill, →ISBN, pages 1233-4