χτικιό

Greek

FWOTD – 14 September 2022

Etymology

From Byzantine Greek (ἑ)κτικιό ((he)ktikió), from (ἑ)κτικιάζω ((he)ktikiázō, “to get consumption, to contract tuberculosis”), from Koine Greek ἑκτικός (hektikós, “habitual, hectic, consumptive”), from ἕξις (héxis, “a state or habit of body or of mind, condition”).

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /xtiˈco/
• Hyphenation: χτι‧κιό

Noun

χτικιό • (chtikió) n (uncountable)

1. (colloquial, dated) consumption (pulmonary tuberculosis)

   Παλιά, παρά πολύ άνθρωποι έβγαλαν το χτικιό αλλά τώρα είναι θεραπεύσιμο.

   Paliá, pará polý ánthropoi évgalan to chtikió allá tóra eínai therapéfsimo.

   In the olden days, many people got consumption but nowadays it's treatable.

   • 1922, Kostas Varnalis, Οι Μοιραίοι [Those Resigned To Fate]:

     Τ’ άλλου κοντόημερ’ η γυναίκα,
     Στο σπίτι λυώνει από χτικιό.

     T’ állou kontóimer’ i gynaíka,
     Sto spíti lyónei apó chtikió.

     Another's wife's days are numbered,
     She's wasting away from consumption.

2. (colloquial, figuratively) hardship, suffering, trial, tribulation (difficulty or trouble)

   Η δουλειά μου είναι μεγάλο χτικιό.

   I douleiá mou eínai megálo chtikió.

   My job is very trying.

Declension

  χτικιό

case     \     number	singular
nominative	χτικιό •
genitive	χτικιού •
accusative	χτικιό •
vocative	χτικιό •
The genitive is uncommon and considered awkward by scholars.

Synonyms

• φυματίωση f (fymatíosi, “tuberculosis”)
• φθίση f (fthísi, “consumption”)

Derived terms

• χτικιάρης m (chtikiáris, “consumptive male”)
• χτικιάρα f (chtikiára, “consumptive female”)

Related terms

• χτικιάζω (chtikiázo, “to catch tuberculosis”)