ἐπιχρίω

Ancient Greek

Etymology

From ἐπι- (epi-, “on, over”) +‎ χρῑ́ω (khrī́ō, “to rub, smear; anoint”).

Pronunciation

(5^th BCE Attic) IPA^(key): /e.pi.kʰrǐː.ɔː/
(1^st CE Egyptian) IPA^(key): /e.piˈkʰri.o/
(4^th CE Koine) IPA^(key): /e.piˈxri.o/
(10^th CE Byzantine) IPA^(key): /e.piˈxri.o/
(15^th CE Constantinopolitan) IPA^(key): /e.piˈxri.o/

Verb

ἐπιχρῑ́ω • (epikhrī́ō)

to anoint, besmear, or smear onto a surface; to apply a substance on top of something
- c. 800 BCE – 600 BCE, Homer, Odyssey 21.179:
  ἐπιχρίοντες ἀλοιφῇ
  epikhríontes aloiphēî
  smearing (it) with ointment
- c. 800 BCE – 600 BCE, Homer, Odyssey 18.172:
  χρῶτ᾽ ἀπονιψαμένη καὶ ἐπιχρίσασα παρειάς
  khrôt’ aponipsaménē kaì epikhrísasa pareiás
  having washed her skin and anointed her cheeks
(middle voice) to anoint or smear oneself
- c. 800 BCE – 600 BCE, Homer, Odyssey 18.179:
  χρῶτ᾽ ἀπονίπτεσθαι καὶ ἐπιχρίεσθαι ἀλοιφῇ
  khrôt’ aponíptesthai kaì epikhríesthai aloiphēî
  to wash one’s skin and anoint oneself with ointment
to plaster over or coat with a substance
- 125 CE – 200 CE, Lucian, How to Write History 62:
  τινὶ ἐπιχρίειν
  tinì epikhríein
  to plaster over with something
(medicine) to apply an ointment or substance externally (e.g. to the body or eyes)
- Zopyr., ap. Orib..14.58.1:
  μετὰ τὸ ἐπιχρισθῆναι
  metà tò epikhristhênai
  after being anointed
- 90 CE – 100 CE, The Gospel of John 9:6:
  καὶ ἐπέχρισεν τὸν πηλὸν ἐπὶ τοὺς ὀφθαλμούς
  kaì epékhrisen tòn pēlòn epì toùs ophthalmoús
  and he applied the clay to the eyes
- 90 CE – 100 CE, The Gospel of John 9:11:
  πηλὸν ἐποίησεν καὶ ἐπέχρισέν μου τοὺς ὀφθαλμούς
  pēlòn epoíēsen kaì epékhrisén mou toùs ophthalmoús
  he made clay and applied it to my eyes
(absolute) to use for anointing
- 310 BCE – 240 BCE, Callimachus, Iamb. 1.270:
  ἐπιχρίειν
  epikhríein
  to apply ointment

Conjugation

Present: ἐπῐχρῑ́ω, ἐπῐχρῑ́ομαι

number		singular			dual		plural
		first	second	third	second	third	first	second	third
active	indicative	ἐπῐχρῑ́ω	ἐπῐχρῑ́εις	ἐπῐχρῑ́ει	ἐπῐχρῑ́ετον	ἐπῐχρῑ́ετον	ἐπῐχρῑ́ομεν	ἐπῐχρῑ́ετε	ἐπῐχρῑ́ουσῐ(ν)
	subjunctive	ἐπῐχρῑ́ω	ἐπῐχρῑ́ῃς	ἐπῐχρῑ́ῃ	ἐπῐχρῑ́ητον	ἐπῐχρῑ́ητον	ἐπῐχρῑ́ωμεν	ἐπῐχρῑ́ητε	ἐπῐχρῑ́ωσῐ(ν)
	optative	ἐπῐχρῑ́οιμῐ	ἐπῐχρῑ́οις	ἐπῐχρῑ́οι	ἐπῐχρῑ́οιτον	ἐπῐχρῑοίτην	ἐπῐχρῑ́οιμεν	ἐπῐχρῑ́οιτε	ἐπῐχρῑ́οιεν
	imperative		ἐπῐ́χρῑε	ἐπῐχρῑέτω	ἐπῐχρῑ́ετον	ἐπῐχρῑέτων		ἐπῐχρῑ́ετε	ἐπῐχρῑόντων
middle/passive	indicative	ἐπῐχρῑ́ομαι	ἐπῐχρῑ́ῃ, ἐπῐχρῑ́ει	ἐπῐχρῑ́εται	ἐπῐχρῑ́εσθον	ἐπῐχρῑ́εσθον	ἐπῐχρῑόμεθᾰ	ἐπῐχρῑ́εσθε	ἐπῐχρῑ́ονται
	subjunctive	ἐπῐχρῑ́ωμαι	ἐπῐχρῑ́ῃ	ἐπῐχρῑ́ηται	ἐπῐχρῑ́ησθον	ἐπῐχρῑ́ησθον	ἐπῐχρῑώμεθᾰ	ἐπῐχρῑ́ησθε	ἐπῐχρῑ́ωνται
	optative	ἐπῐχρῑοίμην	ἐπῐχρῑ́οιο	ἐπῐχρῑ́οιτο	ἐπῐχρῑ́οισθον	ἐπῐχρῑοίσθην	ἐπῐχρῑοίμεθᾰ	ἐπῐχρῑ́οισθε	ἐπῐχρῑ́οιντο
	imperative		ἐπῐχρῑ́ου	ἐπῐχρῑέσθω	ἐπῐχρῑ́εσθον	ἐπῐχρῑέσθων		ἐπῐχρῑ́εσθε	ἐπῐχρῑέσθων
		active				middle/passive
infinitive		ἐπῐχρῑ́ειν				ἐπῐχρῑ́εσθαι
participle	m	ἐπῐχρῑ́ων				ἐπῐχρῑόμενος
	f	ἐπῐχρῑ́ουσᾰ				ἐπῐχρῑομένη
	n	ἐπῐχρῖον				ἐπῐχρῑόμενον
Notes:	This table gives Attic inflectional endings. For conjugation in dialects other than Attic, see Appendix:Ancient Greek dialectal conjugation.

Imperfect: ἐπέχρῑον, ἐπεχρῑόμην

number		singular			dual		plural
		first	second	third	second	third	first	second	third
active	indicative	ἐπέχρῑον	ἐπέχρῑες	ἐπέχρῑε(ν)	ἐπεχρῑ́ετον	ἐπεχρῑέτην	ἐπεχρῑ́ομεν	ἐπεχρῑ́ετε	ἐπέχρῑον
middle/passive	indicative	ἐπεχρῑόμην	ἐπεχρῑ́ου	ἐπεχρῑ́ετο	ἐπεχρῑ́εσθον	ἐπεχρῑέσθην	ἐπεχρῑόμεθᾰ	ἐπεχρῑ́εσθε	ἐπεχρῑ́οντο
Notes:	This table gives Attic inflectional endings. For conjugation in dialects other than Attic, see Appendix:Ancient Greek dialectal conjugation.

Future: ἐπῐχρῑ́σω, ἐπῐχρῑ́σομαι

number		singular			dual		plural
		first	second	third	second	third	first	second	third
active	indicative	ἐπῐχρῑ́σω	ἐπῐχρῑ́σεις	ἐπῐχρῑ́σει	ἐπῐχρῑ́σετον	ἐπῐχρῑ́σετον	ἐπῐχρῑ́σομεν	ἐπῐχρῑ́σετε	ἐπῐχρῑ́σουσῐ(ν)
active	optative	ἐπῐχρῑ́σοιμῐ	ἐπῐχρῑ́σοις	ἐπῐχρῑ́σοι	ἐπῐχρῑ́σοιτον	ἐπῐχρῑσοίτην	ἐπῐχρῑ́σοιμεν	ἐπῐχρῑ́σοιτε	ἐπῐχρῑ́σοιεν
middle	indicative	ἐπῐχρῑ́σομαι	ἐπῐχρῑ́σῃ, ἐπῐχρῑ́σει	ἐπῐχρῑ́σεται	ἐπῐχρῑ́σεσθον	ἐπῐχρῑ́σεσθον	ἐπῐχρῑσόμεθᾰ	ἐπῐχρῑ́σεσθε	ἐπῐχρῑ́σονται
middle	optative	ἐπῐχρῑσοίμην	ἐπῐχρῑ́σοιο	ἐπῐχρῑ́σοιτο	ἐπῐχρῑ́σοισθον	ἐπῐχρῑσοίσθην	ἐπῐχρῑσοίμεθᾰ	ἐπῐχρῑ́σοισθε	ἐπῐχρῑ́σοιντο
		active			middle
infinitive		ἐπῐχρῑ́σειν			ἐπῐχρῑ́σεσθαι
participle	m	ἐπῐχρῑ́σων			ἐπῐχρῑσόμενος
	f	ἐπῐχρῑ́σουσᾰ			ἐπῐχρῑσομένη
	n	ἐπῐχρῖσον			ἐπῐχρῑσόμενον
Notes:	This table gives Attic inflectional endings. For conjugation in dialects other than Attic, see Appendix:Ancient Greek dialectal conjugation.

Aorist: ἐπέχρῑσᾰ, ἐπεχρῑσᾰ́μην, ἐπεχρῑ́σθην

number		singular			dual		plural
		first	second	third	second	third	first	second	third
active	indicative	ἐπέχρῑσᾰ	ἐπέχρῑσᾰς	ἐπέχρῑσε(ν)	ἐπεχρῑ́σᾰτον	ἐπεχρῑσᾰ́την	ἐπεχρῑ́σᾰμεν	ἐπεχρῑ́σᾰτε	ἐπέχρῑσᾰν
	subjunctive	ἐπῐχρῑ́σω	ἐπῐχρῑ́σῃς	ἐπῐχρῑ́σῃ	ἐπῐχρῑ́σητον	ἐπῐχρῑ́σητον	ἐπῐχρῑ́σωμεν	ἐπῐχρῑ́σητε	ἐπῐχρῑ́σωσῐ(ν)
	optative	ἐπῐχρῑ́σαιμῐ	ἐπῐχρῑ́σειᾰς, ἐπῐχρῑ́σαις	ἐπῐχρῑ́σειε(ν), ἐπῐχρῑ́σαι	ἐπῐχρῑ́σαιτον	ἐπῐχρῑσαίτην	ἐπῐχρῑ́σαιμεν	ἐπῐχρῑ́σαιτε	ἐπῐχρῑ́σειᾰν, ἐπῐχρῑ́σαιεν
	imperative		ἐπῐ́χρῑσον	ἐπῐχρῑσᾰ́τω	ἐπῐχρῑ́σᾰτον	ἐπῐχρῑσᾰ́των		ἐπῐχρῑ́σᾰτε	ἐπῐχρῑσᾰ́ντων
middle	indicative	ἐπεχρῑσᾰ́μην	ἐπεχρῑ́σω	ἐπεχρῑ́σᾰτο	ἐπεχρῑ́σᾰσθον	ἐπεχρῑσᾰ́σθην	ἐπεχρῑσᾰ́μεθᾰ	ἐπεχρῑ́σᾰσθε	ἐπεχρῑ́σᾰντο
	subjunctive	ἐπῐχρῑ́σωμαι	ἐπῐχρῑ́σῃ	ἐπῐχρῑ́σηται	ἐπῐχρῑ́σησθον	ἐπῐχρῑ́σησθον	ἐπῐχρῑσώμεθᾰ	ἐπῐχρῑ́σησθε	ἐπῐχρῑ́σωνται
	optative	ἐπῐχρῑσαίμην	ἐπῐχρῑ́σαιο	ἐπῐχρῑ́σαιτο	ἐπῐχρῑ́σαισθον	ἐπῐχρῑσαίσθην	ἐπῐχρῑσαίμεθᾰ	ἐπῐχρῑ́σαισθε	ἐπῐχρῑ́σαιντο
	imperative		ἐπῐ́χρῑσαι	ἐπῐχρῑσᾰ́σθω	ἐπῐχρῑ́σᾰσθον	ἐπῐχρῑσᾰ́σθων		ἐπῐχρῑ́σᾰσθε	ἐπῐχρῑσᾰ́σθων
passive	indicative	ἐπεχρῑ́σθην	ἐπεχρῑ́σθης	ἐπεχρῑ́σθη	ἐπεχρῑ́σθητον	ἐπεχρῑσθήτην	ἐπεχρῑ́σθημεν	ἐπεχρῑ́σθητε	ἐπεχρῑ́σθησᾰν
	subjunctive	ἐπῐχρῑσθῶ	ἐπῐχρῑσθῇς	ἐπῐχρῑσθῇ	ἐπῐχρῑσθῆτον	ἐπῐχρῑσθῆτον	ἐπῐχρῑσθῶμεν	ἐπῐχρῑσθῆτε	ἐπῐχρῑσθῶσῐ(ν)
	optative	ἐπῐχρῑσθείην	ἐπῐχρῑσθείης	ἐπῐχρῑσθείη	ἐπῐχρῑσθεῖτον, ἐπῐχρῑσθείητον	ἐπῐχρῑσθείτην, ἐπῐχρῑσθειήτην	ἐπῐχρῑσθεῖμεν, ἐπῐχρῑσθείημεν	ἐπῐχρῑσθεῖτε, ἐπῐχρῑσθείητε	ἐπῐχρῑσθεῖεν, ἐπῐχρῑσθείησᾰν
	imperative		ἐπῐχρῑ́σθητῐ	ἐπῐχρῑσθήτω	ἐπῐχρῑ́σθητον	ἐπῐχρῑσθήτων		ἐπῐχρῑ́σθητε	ἐπῐχρῑσθέντων
		active			middle		passive
infinitive		ἐπῐχρῖσαι			ἐπῐχρῑ́σᾰσθαι		ἐπῐχρῑσθῆναι
participle	m	ἐπῐχρῑ́σᾱς			ἐπῐχρῑσᾰ́μενος		ἐπῐχρῑσθείς
	f	ἐπῐχρῑ́σᾱσᾰ			ἐπῐχρῑσᾰμένη		ἐπῐχρῑσθεῖσᾰ
	n	ἐπῐχρῖσᾰν			ἐπῐχρῑσᾰ́μενον		ἐπῐχρῑσθέν
Notes:	This table gives Attic inflectional endings. For conjugation in dialects other than Attic, see Appendix:Ancient Greek dialectal conjugation.

Perfect: ἐπῐκέχρῑκᾰ, ἐπῐκέχρῑμαι

number		singular			dual		plural
		first	second	third	second	third	first	second	third
active	indicative	ἐπῐκέχρῑκᾰ	ἐπῐκέχρῑκᾰς	ἐπῐκέχρῑκε(ν)	ἐπῐκεχρῑ́κᾰτον	ἐπῐκεχρῑ́κᾰτον	ἐπῐκεχρῑ́κᾰμεν	ἐπῐκεχρῑ́κᾰτε	ἐπῐκεχρῑ́κᾱσῐ(ν)
	subjunctive	ἐπῐκεχρῑ́κω	ἐπῐκεχρῑ́κῃς	ἐπῐκεχρῑ́κῃ	ἐπῐκεχρῑ́κητον	ἐπῐκεχρῑ́κητον	ἐπῐκεχρῑ́κωμεν	ἐπῐκεχρῑ́κητε	ἐπῐκεχρῑ́κωσῐ(ν)
	optative	ἐπῐκεχρῑ́κοιμῐ, ἐπῐκεχρῑκοίην	ἐπῐκεχρῑ́κοις, ἐπῐκεχρῑκοίης	ἐπῐκεχρῑ́κοι, ἐπῐκεχρῑκοίη	ἐπῐκεχρῑ́κοιτον	ἐπῐκεχρῑκοίτην	ἐπῐκεχρῑ́κοιμεν	ἐπῐκεχρῑ́κοιτε	ἐπῐκεχρῑ́κοιεν
	imperative		ἐπῐκέχρῑκε	ἐπῐκεχρῑκέτω	ἐπῐκεχρῑ́κετον	ἐπῐκεχρῑκέτων		ἐπῐκεχρῑ́κετε	ἐπῐκεχρῑκόντων
middle/passive	indicative	ἐπῐκέχρῑμαι	ἐπῐκέχρῑσαι	ἐπῐκέχρῑται	ἐπῐκέχρῑσθον	ἐπῐκέχρῑσθον	ἐπῐκεχρῑ́μεθᾰ	ἐπῐκέχρῑσθε	ἐπῐκέχρῑνται
	subjunctive	ἐπῐκεχρῑμένος ὦ	ἐπῐκεχρῑμένος ᾖς	ἐπῐκεχρῑμένος ᾖ	ἐπῐκεχρῑμένω ἦτον	ἐπῐκεχρῑμένω ἦτον	ἐπῐκεχρῑμένοι ὦμεν	ἐπῐκεχρῑμένοι ἦτε	ἐπῐκεχρῑμένοι ὦσῐ(ν)
	optative	ἐπῐκεχρῑμένος εἴην	ἐπῐκεχρῑμένος εἴης	ἐπῐκεχρῑμένος εἴη	ἐπῐκεχρῑμένω εἴητον, εἶτον	ἐπῐκεχρῑμένω εἰήτην, εἴτην	ἐπῐκεχρῑμένοι εἴημεν, εἶμεν	ἐπῐκεχρῑμένοι εἴητε, εἶτε	ἐπῐκεχρῑμένοι εἴησᾰν, εἶεν
	imperative		ἐπῐκέχρῑσο	ἐπῐκεχρῑ́σθω	ἐπῐκέχρῑσθον	ἐπῐκεχρῑ́σθων		ἐπῐκέχρῑσθε	ἐπῐκεχρῑ́σθων
		active				middle/passive
infinitive		ἐπῐκεχρῑκέναι				ἐπῐκεχρῖσθαι
participle	m	ἐπῐκεχρῑκώς				ἐπῐκεχρῑμένος
	f	ἐπῐκεχρῑκυῖᾰ				ἐπῐκεχρῑμένη
	n	ἐπῐκεχρῑκός				ἐπῐκεχρῑμένον
Notes:	This table gives Attic inflectional endings. For conjugation in dialects other than Attic, see Appendix:Ancient Greek dialectal conjugation.

Usage notes

The verb ἐπιχρῑ́ω emphasizes application onto a surface, often highlighting surface coating rather than penetration. In medical and technical contexts, it contrasts with ἐγχρῑ́ω (enkhrī́ō), which focuses on inward or localized application.

Derived terms

ἐπίχρῑστος (epíkhrīstos)

Related terms

ἐγχρῑ́ω (enkhrī́ō)
καταχρῑ́ω (katakhrī́ō)