παλαιός

Ancient Greek

Alternative forms

• πάλαος (pálaos) — Aeolic
• παλεός (paleós) — Laconian
• παληός (palēós) — Boeotian

Etymology

From πάλαι (pálai, “long ago”) +‎ -ος (-os, “adjectival suffix”). Likely cognate with Mycenaean Greek 𐀞𐀨𐀍 (pa-ra-jo), which has been argued to mean “old”; this connection points to a Proto-Hellenic *palai(y)ós and casts doubt on the popularly proposed etymology from Proto-Indo-European *kʷel-.

Pronunciation

 

• IPA^(key): /pa.lai̯.ós/ → /pa.lɛˈos/ → /pa.leˈos/

• (5^th BCE Attic) IPA^(key): /pa.lai̯.ós/
• (1^st CE Egyptian) IPA^(key): /pa.lɛˈos/
• (4^th CE Koine) IPA^(key): /pa.lɛˈos/
• (10^th CE Byzantine) IPA^(key): /pa.leˈos/
• (15^th CE Constantinopolitan) IPA^(key): /pa.leˈos/

Adjective

πᾰλαιός • (pălaiós) m (feminine πᾰλαιᾱ́, neuter πᾰλαιόν); first/second declension

1. old; aged

   Synonym: γεραιός (geraiós)

2. ancient; of times past

   Synonym: ἀρχαῖος (arkhaîos)

3. time-honoured; venerable
4. antiquated; outdated

Declension

First and second declension of πᾰλαιός; πᾰλαιᾱ́; πᾰλαιόν (Attic)

Number		Singular				Dual				Plural
Case/Gender		Masculine	Feminine	Neuter		Masculine	Feminine	Neuter		Masculine	Feminine	Neuter
Nominative		πᾰλαιός pălaiós	πᾰλαιᾱ́ pălaiā́	πᾰλαιόν pălaión		πᾰλαιώ pălaiṓ	πᾰλαιᾱ́ pălaiā́	πᾰλαιώ pălaiṓ		πᾰλαιοί pălaioí	πᾰλαιαί pălaiaí	πᾰλαιᾰ́ pălaiắ
Genitive		πᾰλαιοῦ pălaioû	πᾰλαιᾶς pălaiâs	πᾰλαιοῦ pălaioû		πᾰλαιοῖν pălaioîn	πᾰλαιαῖν pălaiaîn	πᾰλαιοῖν pălaioîn		πᾰλαιῶν pălaiôn	πᾰλαιῶν pălaiôn	πᾰλαιῶν pălaiôn
Dative		πᾰλαιῷ pălaiōî	πᾰλαιᾷ pălaiāî	πᾰλαιῷ pălaiōî		πᾰλαιοῖν pălaioîn	πᾰλαιαῖν pălaiaîn	πᾰλαιοῖν pălaioîn		πᾰλαιοῖς pălaioîs	πᾰλαιαῖς pălaiaîs	πᾰλαιοῖς pălaioîs
Accusative		πᾰλαιόν pălaión	πᾰλαιᾱ́ν pălaiā́n	πᾰλαιόν pălaión		πᾰλαιώ pălaiṓ	πᾰλαιᾱ́ pălaiā́	πᾰλαιώ pălaiṓ		πᾰλαιούς pălaioús	πᾰλαιᾱ́ς pălaiā́s	πᾰλαιᾰ́ pălaiắ
Vocative		πᾰλαιέ pălaié	πᾰλαιᾱ́ pălaiā́	πᾰλαιόν pălaión		πᾰλαιώ pălaiṓ	πᾰλαιᾱ́ pălaiā́	πᾰλαιώ pălaiṓ		πᾰλαιοί pălaioí	πᾰλαιαί pălaiaí	πᾰλαιᾰ́ pălaiắ
Derived forms		Adverb				Comparative				Superlative
		πᾰλαιόν πᾰλαιῶς pălaión pălaiôs				πᾰλαιότερος πᾰλαίτερος pălaióteros pălaíteros				πᾰλαιότᾰτος πᾰλαίτᾰτος pălaiótătos pălaítătos
Notes:		This table gives Attic inflectional endings. For declension in other dialects, see Appendix:Ancient Greek dialectal declension.

First and second declension of πᾰλαιός; πᾰλαιή; πᾰλαιόν (Epic)

Number		Singular				Dual				Plural
Case/Gender		Masculine	Feminine	Neuter		Masculine	Feminine	Neuter		Masculine	Feminine	Neuter
Nominative		πᾰλαιός pălaiós	πᾰλαιή pălaiḗ	πᾰλαιόν pălaión		πᾰλαιώ pălaiṓ	πᾰλαιᾱ́ pălaiā́	πᾰλαιώ pălaiṓ		πᾰλαιοί pălaioí	πᾰλαιαί pălaiaí	πᾰλαιᾰ́ pălaiắ
Genitive		πᾰλαιοῖο πᾰλαιόο πᾰλαιοῦ pălaioîo pălaióo pălaioû	πᾰλαιῆς pălaiês	πᾰλαιοῖο πᾰλαιόο πᾰλαιοῦ pălaioîo pălaióo pălaioû		πᾰλαιοῖῐ̈ν pălaioîĭ̈n	πᾰλαιαῖῐ̈ν pălaiaîĭ̈n	πᾰλαιοῖῐ̈ν pălaioîĭ̈n		πᾰλαιῶν pălaiôn	πᾰλαιᾱ́ων πᾰλαιέων πᾰλαιῶν pălaiā́ōn pălaiéōn pălaiôn	πᾰλαιῶν pălaiôn
Dative		πᾰλαιῷ pălaiōî	πᾰλαιῇ pălaiēî	πᾰλαιῷ pălaiōî		πᾰλαιοῖῐ̈ν pălaioîĭ̈n	πᾰλαιαῖῐ̈ν pălaiaîĭ̈n	πᾰλαιοῖῐ̈ν pălaioîĭ̈n		πᾰλαιοῖσῐ πᾰλαιοῖσῐν πᾰλαιοῖς pălaioîsĭ(n) pălaioîs	πᾰλαιῇσῐ πᾰλαιῇσῐν πᾰλαιῇς πᾰλαιαῖς pălaiēîsĭ(n) pălaiēîs pălaiaîs	πᾰλαιοῖσῐ πᾰλαιοῖσῐν πᾰλαιοῖς pălaioîsĭ(n) pălaioîs
Accusative		πᾰλαιόν pălaión	πᾰλαιήν pălaiḗn	πᾰλαιόν pălaión		πᾰλαιώ pălaiṓ	πᾰλαιᾱ́ pălaiā́	πᾰλαιώ pălaiṓ		πᾰλαιούς pălaioús	πᾰλαιᾱ́ς pălaiā́s	πᾰλαιᾰ́ pălaiắ
Vocative		πᾰλαιέ pălaié	πᾰλαιή pălaiḗ	πᾰλαιόν pălaión		πᾰλαιώ pălaiṓ	πᾰλαιᾱ́ pălaiā́	πᾰλαιώ pălaiṓ		πᾰλαιοί pălaioí	πᾰλαιαί pălaiaí	πᾰλαιᾰ́ pălaiắ
Derived forms		Adverb				Comparative				Superlative
		πᾰλαιόν pălaión				πᾰλαιότερος pălaióteros				πᾰλαιότᾰτος pălaiótătos
Notes:		Dialects other than Attic are not well attested. Some forms may be based on conjecture. Use with caution.

First and second declension of πᾰλαιός; πᾰλαιή; πᾰλαιόν (Ionic)

Number		Singular				Dual				Plural
Case/Gender		Masculine	Feminine	Neuter		Masculine	Feminine	Neuter		Masculine	Feminine	Neuter
Nominative		πᾰλαιός pălaiós	πᾰλαιή pălaiḗ	πᾰλαιόν pălaión		πᾰλαιώ pălaiṓ	πᾰλαιᾱ́ pălaiā́	πᾰλαιώ pălaiṓ		πᾰλαιοί pălaioí	πᾰλαιαί pălaiaí	πᾰλαιᾰ́ pălaiắ
Genitive		πᾰλαιοῦ pălaioû	πᾰλαιῆς pălaiês	πᾰλαιοῦ pălaioû		πᾰλαιοῖν pălaioîn	πᾰλαιαῖν pălaiaîn	πᾰλαιοῖν pălaioîn		πᾰλαιῶν pălaiôn	πᾰλαιέων πᾰλαιῶν pălaiéōn pălaiôn	πᾰλαιῶν pălaiôn
Dative		πᾰλαιῷ pălaiōî	πᾰλαιῇ pălaiēî	πᾰλαιῷ pălaiōî		πᾰλαιοῖν pălaioîn	πᾰλαιαῖν pălaiaîn	πᾰλαιοῖν pălaioîn		πᾰλαιοῖσῐ πᾰλαιοῖσῐν pălaioîsĭ(n)	πᾰλαιῇσῐ πᾰλαιῇσῐν pălaiēîsĭ(n)	πᾰλαιοῖσῐ πᾰλαιοῖσῐν pălaioîsĭ(n)
Accusative		πᾰλαιόν pălaión	πᾰλαιήν pălaiḗn	πᾰλαιόν pălaión		πᾰλαιώ pălaiṓ	πᾰλαιᾱ́ pălaiā́	πᾰλαιώ pălaiṓ		πᾰλαιούς pălaioús	πᾰλαιᾱ́ς pălaiā́s	πᾰλαιᾰ́ pălaiắ
Vocative		πᾰλαιέ pălaié	πᾰλαιή pălaiḗ	πᾰλαιόν pălaión		πᾰλαιώ pălaiṓ	πᾰλαιᾱ́ pălaiā́	πᾰλαιώ pălaiṓ		πᾰλαιοί pălaioí	πᾰλαιαί pălaiaí	πᾰλαιᾰ́ pălaiắ
Derived forms		Adverb				Comparative				Superlative
		πᾰλαιόν πᾰλαιῶς pălaión pălaiôs				πᾰλαιότερος πᾰλαίτερος pălaióteros pălaíteros				πᾰλαιότᾰτος πᾰλαίτᾰτος pălaiótătos pălaítătos
Notes:		Dialects other than Attic are not well attested. Some forms may be based on conjecture. Use with caution.

Derived terms

• ᾰ̓πὸ πᾰλαιοῦ (ăpò pălaioû)
• κᾰτᾰπᾰλαιόομαι (kătăpălaióomai)
• κᾰτᾰπᾰλαιοῦμαι (kătăpălaioûmai)
• μουσοπᾰλαιολῡ́μᾱς (mousopălaiolū́mās)
• πᾰλαιᾰ́ω (pălaiắō)
• πᾰλαιογενής (pălaiogenḗs)
• πᾰλαιογονῐ́ᾱ (pălaiogonĭ́ā)
• πᾰλαιόγονος (pălaiógonos)
• πᾰλαιόδουλος (pălaiódoulos)
• πᾰλαιόθερμος (pălaióthermos)
• πᾰλαιοθέτης (pălaiothétēs)
• πᾰλαιοί (pălaioí)
• πᾰλαιοκέρᾰμος (pălaiokérămos)
• πᾰλαιόκτητος (pălaióktētos)
• πᾰλαιολογέω (pălaiologéō)
• πᾰλαιομᾰ́γᾰδῐς (pălaiomắgădĭs)
• πᾰλαίομαι (pălaíomai)
• πᾰλαιομᾱ́τωρ (pălaiomā́tōr)
• πᾰλαιομήτωρ (pălaiomḗtōr)
• πᾰλαιομώλωψ (pălaiomṓlōps)
• πᾰλαιόν (pălaión)
• πᾰλαιόπληγος (pălaióplēgos)
• πᾰλαιοπλούσῐος (pălaioploúsĭos)
• πᾰλαιόπλουτος (pălaióploutos)
• πᾰλαιόπολῐς (pălaiópolĭs)
• πᾰλαιοπόρνη (pălaiopórnē)
• πᾰλαιοπρᾱ́γμων (pălaioprā́gmōn)
• πᾰλαιόρ (pălaiór)
• πᾰλαιορᾰ́φῐον (pălaiorắphĭon)
• πᾰλαιορᾰ́φος (pălaiorắphos)
• πᾰλαιόρῐ́ζος (pălaiórĭ́zos)
• πᾰλαιόσπῑτον (pălaióspīton)
• πᾰλαιότᾰτος (pălaiótătos)
• πᾰλαιότερος (pălaióteros)
• πᾰλαιότης (pălaiótēs)
• πᾰλαιοτόκος (pălaiotókos)
• πᾰλαιοτροπῐ́ᾱ (pălaiotropĭ́ā)
• πᾰλαιότροπος (pălaiótropos)
• πᾰλαιουργέω (pălaiourgéō)
• πᾰλαιουργός (pălaiourgós)
• πᾰλαιοφᾰνής (pălaiophănḗs)
• πᾰλαιόφρων (pălaióphrōn)
• πᾰλαιοχᾰ́ρᾰκτος (pălaiokhắrăktos)
• πᾰλαιόχρονος (pălaiókhronos)
• πᾰλαιοχωρῐ́ον (pălaiokhōrĭ́on)
• πᾰλαιοχώρῐον (pălaiokhṓrĭon)
• πᾰλαιόω (pălaióō)
• πᾰλαίτᾰτος (pălaítătos)
• πᾰλαίτερος (pălaíteros)
• πᾰλαίωμᾰ (pălaíōmă)
• πᾰλαίωρ (pălaíōr)
• πᾰλαιῶς (pălaiôs)
• πᾰλαίωσῐς (pălaíōsĭs)
• πᾰμπᾰ́λαιος (pămpắlaios)
• προπᾰ́λαιος (propắlaios)
• προπᾰλαιόω (propălaióō)
• τοπᾰλαιόν (topălaión)
• τρῐπᾰ́λαιος (trĭpắlaios)

Descendants

• Greek: παλιός (paliós)
• → English: paleo-, palaeo-
• → Irish: pailé-
• → German: paläo-
• → French: paléo-

Further reading

• “παλαιός”, in Liddell & Scott (1940), A Greek–English Lexicon, Oxford: Clarendon Press
• “παλαιός”, in Liddell & Scott (1889), An Intermediate Greek–English Lexicon, New York: Harper & Brothers
• “παλαιός”, in Autenrieth, Georg (1891), A Homeric Dictionary for Schools and Colleges, New York: Harper and Brothers
• παλαιός in Bailly, Anatole (1935), Le Grand Bailly: Dictionnaire grec-français, Paris: Hachette
• Bauer, Walter et al. (2001), A Greek–English Lexicon of the New Testament and Other Early Christian Literature, Third edition, Chicago: University of Chicago Press
• παλαιός in Cunliffe, Richard J. (1924), A Lexicon of the Homeric Dialect: Expanded Edition, Norman: University of Oklahoma Press, published 1963
• “παλαιός”, in Slater, William J. (1969), Lexicon to Pindar, Berlin: Walter de Gruyter
• G3820 in Strong, James (1979), Strong’s Exhaustive Concordance to the Bible
• Woodhouse, S. C. (1910), English–Greek Dictionary: A Vocabulary of the Attic Language‎^[1], London: Routledge & Kegan Paul Limited.
  • aged idem, page 18.
  • ancient idem, page 29.
  • antiquated idem, page 32.
  • antique idem, page 32.
  • by-gone idem, page 107.
  • date idem, page 196.
  • disuse idem, page 243.
  • early idem, page 258.
  • effete idem, page 262.
  • fashion idem, page 308.
  • former idem, page 339.
  • hackneyed idem, page 380.
  • immemorial idem, page 417.
  • obsolete idem, page 567.
  • old idem, page 572.
  • old-fashioned idem, page 572.
  • past idem, page 597.
  • played out idem, page 619.
  • primeval idem, page 641.
  • primitive idem, page 641.
  • pristine idem, page 642.
  • stale idem, page 809.
  • superannuated idem, page 838.
  • threadbare idem, page 869.
  • trite idem, page 896.
  • unfashionable idem, page 917.

Greek

Alternative forms

• παλιός (paliós) — less formal

Adjective

παλαιός • (palaiós) m (feminine παλαιά, neuter παλαιό)

1. (formal) long established, old, former, not modern, worn out

Usage notes

• Generally, παλαιός (palaiós) is less common than παλιός (paliós), but its comparative παλαιότερος (palaióteros) is more common than παλιότερος (palióteros).
• However, παλιός (paliós) has no superlative, so παλαιότατος (palaiótatos) is always used. See also the intensive παμπάλαιος (pampálaios).

Declension

Declension of παλαιός

	singular				plural
	masculine	feminine	neuter		masculine	feminine	neuter
nominative	παλαιός (palaiós)	παλαιά (palaiá)	παλαιό (palaió)		παλαιοί (palaioí)	παλαιές (palaiés)	παλαιά (palaiá)
genitive	παλαιού (palaioú)	παλαιάς (palaiás)	παλαιού (palaioú)		παλαιών (palaión)	παλαιών (palaión)	παλαιών (palaión)
accusative	παλαιό (palaió)	παλαιά (palaiá)	παλαιό (palaió)		παλαιούς (palaioús)	παλαιές (palaiés)	παλαιά (palaiá)
vocative	παλαιέ (palaié)	παλαιά (palaiá)	παλαιό (palaió)		παλαιοί (palaioí)	παλαιές (palaiés)	παλαιά (palaiá)

Notes: There are also rare feminine forms παλαιή (palaií) and παλαιής (palaiís).
Derivations:
Comparative: πιο + positive forms (e.g. πιο παλαιός, etc.)
Relative superlative: definite article + πιο + positive forms (e.g. ο πιο παλαιός, etc.)

Degrees of comparison by suffixation

comparative (?) singular plural masculine feminine neuter masculine feminine neuter nominative παλαιότερος (palaióteros) παλαιότερη (palaióteri) παλαιότερο (palaiótero) παλαιότεροι (palaióteroi) παλαιότερες (palaióteres) παλαιότερα (palaiótera) genitive παλαιότερου (palaióterou) παλαιότερης (palaióteris) παλαιότερου (palaióterou) παλαιότερων (palaióteron) παλαιότερων (palaióteron) παλαιότερων (palaióteron) accusative παλαιότερο (palaiótero) παλαιότερη (palaióteri) παλαιότερο (palaiótero) παλαιότερους (palaióterous) παλαιότερες (palaióteres) παλαιότερα (palaiótera) vocative παλαιότερε (palaiótere) παλαιότερη (palaióteri) παλαιότερο (palaiótero) παλαιότεροι (palaióteroi) παλαιότερες (palaióteres) παλαιότερα (palaiótera) Derivations: relative superlative: ο + comparative forms: e.g. ο παλαιότερος (o palaióteros), etc. absolute superlative (?) singular plural masculine feminine neuter masculine feminine neuter nominative παλαιότατος (palaiótatos) παλαιότατη (palaiótati) παλαιότατο (palaiótato) παλαιότατοι (palaiótatoi) παλαιότατες (palaiótates) παλαιότατα (palaiótata) genitive παλαιότατου (palaiótatou) παλαιότατης (palaiótatis) παλαιότατου (palaiótatou) παλαιότατων (palaiótaton) παλαιότατων (palaiótaton) παλαιότατων (palaiótaton) accusative παλαιότατο (palaiótato) παλαιότατη (palaiótati) παλαιότατο (palaiótato) παλαιότατους (palaiótatous) παλαιότατες (palaiótates) παλαιότατα (palaiótata) vocative παλαιότατε (palaiótate) παλαιότατη (palaiótati) παλαιότατο (palaiótato) παλαιότατοι (palaiótatoi) παλαιότατες (palaiótates) παλαιότατα (palaiótata)

Derived terms

• παλαιά νορβηγικά (palaiá norvigiká)

See also

• γέρος (géros) (old, aged, elderly)
• ηλικιωμένος (ilikioménos) (old, aged, elderly)