ο λύκος κι αν εγέρασε κι άσπρισε το μαλλί του, μήτε τη γνώμη άλλαξε, μήτε την κεφαλή του

Greek

Etymology

• see: λύκος (lýkos, “wolf”), κι αν, και αν (ki an, kai an, “even if”), εγέρασε, doler form of γέρασε (gérase) past tense of γερνάω (gernáo, “grow old”), άσπρισε (ásprise) past tense of ασπρίζω (asprízo, “become white”), μήτε (míte, “nor, neither”), γνώμη f (gnómi, “opinion, beliefs”), άλλαξε (állaxe) past tense of αλλάζω (allázo, “change”), κεφαλή f (kefalí): demotic form of κεφάλι n (kefáli, “head”)

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /o‿ˈlikos ˈcan‿eˈʝeɾase ˈc‿aspɾise to‿maˈli‿tu ˈmite ti‿ˈɣnomi ˈalakse ˈmite tin‿ɟefaˈli‿tu/

Proverb

ο λύκος κι αν εγέρασε κι άσπρισε το μαλλί του, μήτε τη γνώμη άλλαξε, μήτε την κεφαλή του • (o lýkos ki an egérase ki ásprise to mallí tou, míte ti gnómi állaxe, míte tin kefalí tou) (Even though the wolf got old and his hair became white, he changed neither his opinion nor his head)

1. (derogatory) the wolf may lose his teeth but never his nature; the fox may grow grey but never good; a leopard cannot change its spots (one's nature cannot change no matter how much time passes)

See also

• «ο λύκος κι αν εγέρασε» at Greek Wiktionary