βασιλεύς

Ancient Greek

Etymology

Uncertain. Likely Pre-Greek in origin (ie. Minoan). Case-forms show Attic shortening of the stem's original ē (see quantitative metathesis).

Alternative forms

• βασιλῆος (Homeric (genitive))
• βασιλῆϝος (Arcadocypriot (genitive))
• 𐠞𐠪𐠐𐠵𐠩 (pa-si-le-wo-se) (Cypriot syllabary)
• 𐀣𐀯𐀩𐀄 (qa-si-re-u) (Linear B)

Pronunciation

• (Classical): IPA: [basile͜ʊ́s]
• (Koine): IPA: [basilˈɛʍs]
• (Byzantine): IPA: [βasilˈeɸs]

Noun

βασιλεύς (genitive βασιλέως) m, third declension; (basileus)

1. chief, master
2. king, lord, patron
3. the first of any class of people/objects

Usage notes

During specific periods of Greek history βασιλεύς was used to describe certain foreign leaders, such as the Persian kings and Roman Caesars. In this usage, it often took on certain modifications, such as a lack of definite article or the use of the adjective μέγας.

Inflection

Inflection

Case / #	Singular	Dual	Plural
Nominative	ὁ βᾰσῐλεύς	τώ βᾰσῐλῆ	οἱ βᾰσῐλεῖς
Genitive	τοῦ βᾰσῐλέως	τοῖν βᾰσῐλέοιν	τῶν βᾰσῐλέων
Dative	τῷ βᾰσῐλεῖ	τοῖν βᾰσῐλέοιν	τοῖς βᾰσῐλεῦσῐ
Accusative	τόν βᾰσῐλέᾰ	τώ βᾰσῐλῆ	τούς βᾰσῐλέᾰς
Vocative	βᾰσῐλεῦ	βᾰσῐλῆ	βᾰσῐλεῖς

Derived terms

• βασίλειος
• βασιλικός
• βασιλίσκος

Descendants

• English: basilean, basileolatry, basileus, basilolatry
• Greek: βασιλεύς, βασιλέας, βασιλιάς

References

• LSJ
• Bauer lexicon
• Strong’s concordance number: G935

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Greek

Noun

βασιλεύς (vasiléfs) m.,   plural βασιλείς

1. Katharevousa form of βασιλιάς  (king).