ψύχω

Ancient Greek

Alternative forms

• ψύγω (psúgō)

Etymology

Uncertain. Could be from a Proto-Indo-European *bʰes- (“to blow”), with cognates including Sanskrit भस्त्रा (bhástrā, “bellows”), अप्सु (á-psu, “without breath”), and Albanian badër. Beekes is skeptical of an Indo-European derivation and argues for a Pre-Greek origin.

Compare also Proto-Circassian *psa, Proto-Northwest Caucasian *pǝsA (literally “soul”).

Pronunciation

 

• IPA^(key): /psy̌ː.kʰɔː/ → /ˈpsy.xo/ → /ˈpsi.xo/

• (5^th BCE Attic) IPA^(key): /psy̌ː.kʰɔː/
• (1^st CE Egyptian) IPA^(key): /ˈpsy.kʰo/
• (4^th CE Koine) IPA^(key): /ˈpsy.xo/
• (10^th CE Byzantine) IPA^(key): /ˈpsy.xo/
• (15^th CE Constantinopolitan) IPA^(key): /ˈpsi.xo/

Verb

ψῡ́χω • (psū́khō)

1. to breathe, blow
   • 800 BCE – 600 BCE, Homer, Iliad 20.440:

     καὶ τό γ’ Ἀθήνη
     πνοιῇ Ἀχιλλῆος πάλιν ἔτραπε κυδαλίμοιο
     ἦκα μάλα ψύξασα

     kaì tó g’ Athḗnē
     pnoiêi Akhillêos pálin étrape kudalímoio
     êka mála psúxasa

     but Athene with a breath turned it back from glorious Achilles, breathing full lightly

2. to chill, make cold
   • 460 BCE – 420 BCE, Herodotus, Histories 3.104.3:

     καὶ τὸ ἀπὸ τούτου ἀπιὼν ἐπὶ μᾶλλον ψύχει

     kaì tò apò toútou apiṑn epì mâllon psúkhei

     as day declines [the sun] makes it ever cooler

   • 460 BCE – 420 BCE, Herodotus, Histories 4.181.4:

     παρέρχονται τε μέσαι νύκτες καὶ ψύχεται μέχρι ἐς ἠῶ

     parérkhontai te mésai núktes kaì psúkhetai mékhri es ēô

     after midnight it becomes cooler until dawn

   1. to cool, refresh
      • Tragica Adespota 7.2
      • 200 BCE – 100 BCE, Nicander, Theriaca 473
      • 300 BCE – 200 BCE, Septuagint, 2 Kings 19.24
   2. (passive voice, figuratively) to be frigid
      • 213 CE – 273 CE, Cassius Longinus, Collected Works 27.1
3. (transitive) to dry
   • 430 BCE – 354 BCE, Xenophon, Cynegeticus 5.3:

     ποιοῦσι δύσοσμον, ἕως ἂν ψυχθῇ

     poioûsi dúsosmon, héōs àn psukhthêi

     [storms] make the earth bad for scent until it dries

Inflection

   Present: ψῡ́χω, ψῡ́χομαι

number		singular			dual		plural
		first	second	third	second	third	first	second	third
active	indicative	ψῡ́χω	ψῡ́χεις	ψῡ́χει	ψῡ́χετον	ψῡ́χετον	ψῡ́χομεν	ψῡ́χετε	ψῡ́χουσῐ(ν)
	subjunctive	ψῡ́χω	ψῡ́χῃς	ψῡ́χῃ	ψῡ́χητον	ψῡ́χητον	ψῡ́χωμεν	ψῡ́χητε	ψῡ́χωσῐ(ν)
	optative	ψῡ́χοιμῐ	ψῡ́χοις	ψῡ́χοι	ψῡ́χοιτον	ψῡχοίτην	ψῡ́χοιμεν	ψῡ́χοιτε	ψῡ́χοιεν
	imperative		ψῦχε	ψῡχέτω	ψῡ́χετον	ψῡχέτων		ψῡ́χετε	ψῡχόντων
middle/ passive	indicative	ψῡ́χομαι	ψῡ́χῃ, ψῡ́χει	ψῡ́χεται	ψῡ́χεσθον	ψῡ́χεσθον	ψῡχόμεθᾰ	ψῡ́χεσθε	ψῡ́χονται
	subjunctive	ψῡ́χωμαι	ψῡ́χῃ	ψῡ́χηται	ψῡ́χησθον	ψῡ́χησθον	ψῡχώμεθᾰ	ψῡ́χησθε	ψῡ́χωνται
	optative	ψῡχοίμην	ψῡ́χοιο	ψῡ́χοιτο	ψῡ́χοισθον	ψῡχοίσθην	ψῡχοίμεθᾰ	ψῡ́χοισθε	ψῡ́χοιντο
	imperative		ψῡ́χου	ψῡχέσθω	ψῡ́χεσθον	ψῡχέσθων		ψῡ́χεσθε	ψῡχέσθων
		active				middle/passive
infinitive		ψῡ́χειν				ψῡ́χεσθαι
participle	m	ψῡ́χων				ψῡχόμενος
	f	ψῡ́χουσᾰ				ψῡχομένη
	n	ψῦχον				ψῡχόμενον
Notes:	This table gives Attic inflectional endings. For conjugation in dialects other than Attic, see Appendix:Ancient Greek dialectal conjugation.

   Imperfect: ἔψῡχον, ἐψῡχόμην

number		singular			dual		plural
		first	second	third	second	third	first	second	third
active	indicative	ἔψῡχον	ἔψῡχες	ἔψῡχε(ν)	ἐψῡ́χετον	ἐψῡχέτην	ἐψῡ́χομεν	ἐψῡ́χετε	ἔψῡχον
middle/ passive	indicative	ἐψῡχόμην	ἐψῡ́χου	ἐψῡ́χετο	ἐψῡ́χεσθον	ἐψῡχέσθην	ἐψῡχόμεθᾰ	ἐψῡ́χεσθε	ἐψῡ́χοντο
Notes:	This table gives Attic inflectional endings. For conjugation in dialects other than Attic, see Appendix:Ancient Greek dialectal conjugation.

   Future: ψῡ́ξω, ψῡ́ξομαι, ψυχθήσομαι

number		singular			dual		plural
		first	second	third	second	third	first	second	third
active	indicative	ψῡ́ξω	ψῡ́ξεις	ψῡ́ξει	ψῡ́ξετον	ψῡ́ξετον	ψῡ́ξομεν	ψῡ́ξετε	ψῡ́ξουσῐ(ν)
	optative	ψῡ́ξοιμῐ	ψῡ́ξοις	ψῡ́ξοι	ψῡ́ξοιτον	ψῡξοίτην	ψῡ́ξοιμεν	ψῡ́ξοιτε	ψῡ́ξοιεν
middle	indicative	ψῡ́ξομαι	ψῡ́ξῃ, ψῡ́ξει	ψῡ́ξεται	ψῡ́ξεσθον	ψῡ́ξεσθον	ψῡξόμεθᾰ	ψῡ́ξεσθε	ψῡ́ξονται
	optative	ψῡξοίμην	ψῡ́ξοιο	ψῡ́ξοιτο	ψῡ́ξοισθον	ψῡξοίσθην	ψῡξοίμεθᾰ	ψῡ́ξοισθε	ψῡ́ξοιντο
passive	indicative	ψυχθήσομαι	ψυχθήσῃ	ψυχθήσεται	ψυχθήσεσθον	ψυχθήσεσθον	ψυχθησόμεθᾰ	ψυχθήσεσθε	ψυχθήσονται
	optative	ψυχθησοίμην	ψυχθήσοιο	ψυχθήσοιτο	ψυχθήσοισθον	ψυχθησοίσθην	ψυχθησοίμεθᾰ	ψυχθήσοισθε	ψυχθήσοιντο
		active			middle		passive
infinitive		ψῡ́ξειν			ψῡ́ξεσθαι		ψυχθήσεσθαι
participle	m	ψῡ́ξων			ψῡξόμενος		ψυχθησόμενος
	f	ψῡ́ξουσᾰ			ψῡξομένη		ψυχθησομένη
	n	ψῦξον			ψῡξόμενον		ψυχθησόμενον
Notes:	This table gives Attic inflectional endings. For conjugation in dialects other than Attic, see Appendix:Ancient Greek dialectal conjugation.

   Future: ψῠγήσομαι

number		singular			dual		plural
		first	second	third	second	third	first	second	third
passive	indicative	ψῠγήσομαι	ψῠγήσῃ	ψῠγήσεται	ψῠγήσεσθον	ψῠγήσεσθον	ψῠγησόμεθᾰ	ψῠγήσεσθε	ψῠγήσονται
	optative	ψῠγησοίμην	ψῠγήσοιο	ψῠγήσοιτο	ψῠγήσοισθον	ψῠγησοίσθην	ψῠγησοίμεθᾰ	ψῠγήσοισθε	ψῠγήσοιντο
							passive
infinitive							ψῠγήσεσθαι
participle	m						ψῠγησόμενος
	f						ψῠγησομένη
	n						ψῠγησόμενον
Notes:	This table gives Attic inflectional endings. For conjugation in dialects other than Attic, see Appendix:Ancient Greek dialectal conjugation.

   Aorist: ἔψῡξᾰ, ἐψῡξᾰ́μην, ἐψύχθην

number		singular			dual		plural
		first	second	third	second	third	first	second	third
active	indicative	ἔψῡξᾰ	ἔψῡξᾰς	ἔψῡξε(ν)	ἐψῡ́ξᾰτον	ἐψῡξᾰ́την	ἐψῡ́ξᾰμεν	ἐψῡ́ξᾰτε	ἔψῡξᾰν
	subjunctive	ψῡ́ξω	ψῡ́ξῃς	ψῡ́ξῃ	ψῡ́ξητον	ψῡ́ξητον	ψῡ́ξωμεν	ψῡ́ξητε	ψῡ́ξωσῐ(ν)
	optative	ψῡ́ξαιμῐ	ψῡ́ξειᾰς, ψῡ́ξαις	ψῡ́ξειε(ν), ψῡ́ξαι	ψῡ́ξαιτον	ψῡξαίτην	ψῡ́ξαιμεν	ψῡ́ξαιτε	ψῡ́ξειᾰν, ψῡ́ξαιεν
	imperative		ψῦξον	ψῡξᾰ́τω	ψῡ́ξᾰτον	ψῡξᾰ́των		ψῡ́ξᾰτε	ψῡξᾰ́ντων
middle	indicative	ἐψῡξᾰ́μην	ἐψῡ́ξω	ἐψῡ́ξᾰτο	ἐψῡ́ξᾰσθον	ἐψῡξᾰ́σθην	ἐψῡξᾰ́μεθᾰ	ἐψῡ́ξᾰσθε	ἐψῡ́ξᾰντο
	subjunctive	ψῡ́ξωμαι	ψῡ́ξῃ	ψῡ́ξηται	ψῡ́ξησθον	ψῡ́ξησθον	ψῡξώμεθᾰ	ψῡ́ξησθε	ψῡ́ξωνται
	optative	ψῡξαίμην	ψῡ́ξαιο	ψῡ́ξαιτο	ψῡ́ξαισθον	ψῡξαίσθην	ψῡξαίμεθᾰ	ψῡ́ξαισθε	ψῡ́ξαιντο
	imperative		ψῦξαι	ψῡξᾰ́σθω	ψῡ́ξᾰσθον	ψῡξᾰ́σθων		ψῡ́ξᾰσθε	ψῡξᾰ́σθων
passive	indicative	ἐψύχθην	ἐψύχθης	ἐψύχθη	ἐψύχθητον	ἐψυχθήτην	ἐψύχθημεν	ἐψύχθητε	ἐψύχθησᾰν
	subjunctive	ψυχθῶ	ψυχθῇς	ψυχθῇ	ψυχθῆτον	ψυχθῆτον	ψυχθῶμεν	ψυχθῆτε	ψυχθῶσῐ(ν)
	optative	ψυχθείην	ψυχθείης	ψυχθείη	ψυχθεῖτον, ψυχθείητον	ψυχθείτην, ψυχθειήτην	ψυχθεῖμεν, ψυχθείημεν	ψυχθεῖτε, ψυχθείητε	ψυχθεῖεν, ψυχθείησᾰν
	imperative		ψύχθητῐ	ψυχθήτω	ψύχθητον	ψυχθήτων		ψύχθητε	ψυχθέντων
		active			middle		passive
infinitive		ψῦξαι			ψῡ́ξᾰσθαι		ψυχθῆναι
participle	m	ψῡ́ξᾱς			ψῡξᾰ́μενος		ψυχθείς
	f	ψῡ́ξᾱσᾰ			ψῡξᾰμένη		ψυχθεῖσᾰ
	n	ψῦξᾰν			ψῡξᾰ́μενον		ψυχθέν
Notes:	This table gives Attic inflectional endings. For conjugation in dialects other than Attic, see Appendix:Ancient Greek dialectal conjugation.

   Aorist: ἐψῠ́χην

number		singular			dual		plural
		first	second	third	second	third	first	second	third
passive	indicative	ἐψῠ́χην	ἐψῠ́χης	ἐψῠ́χη	ἐψῠ́χητον	ἐψῠχήτην	ἐψῠ́χημεν	ἐψῠ́χητε	ἐψῠ́χησᾰν
	subjunctive	ψῠχῶ	ψῠχῇς	ψῠχῇ	ψῠχῆτον	ψῠχῆτον	ψῠχῶμεν	ψῠχῆτε	ψῠχῶσῐ(ν)
	optative	ψῠχείην	ψῠχείης	ψῠχείη	ψῠχεῖτον, ψῠχείητον	ψῠχείτην, ψῠχειήτην	ψῠχεῖμεν, ψῠχείημεν	ψῠχεῖτε, ψῠχείητε	ψῠχεῖεν, ψῠχείησᾰν
	imperative		ψῠ́χηθῐ	ψῠχήτω	ψῠ́χητον	ψῠχήτων		ψῠ́χητε	ψῠχέντων
							passive
infinitive							ψῠχῆναι
participle	m						ψῠχείς
	f						ψῠχεῖσᾰ
	n						ψῠχέν
Notes:	This table gives Attic inflectional endings. For conjugation in dialects other than Attic, see Appendix:Ancient Greek dialectal conjugation.

   Aorist: ἐψῠ́γην (late)

number		singular			dual		plural
		first	second	third	second	third	first	second	third
passive	indicative	ἐψῠ́γην	ἐψῠ́γης	ἐψῠ́γη	ἐψῠ́γητον	ἐψῠγήτην	ἐψῠ́γημεν	ἐψῠ́γητε	ἐψῠ́γησᾰν
	subjunctive	ψῠγῶ	ψῠγῇς	ψῠγῇ	ψῠγῆτον	ψῠγῆτον	ψῠγῶμεν	ψῠγῆτε	ψῠγῶσῐ(ν)
	optative	ψῠγείην	ψῠγείης	ψῠγείη	ψῠγεῖτον, ψῠγείητον	ψῠγείτην, ψῠγειήτην	ψῠγεῖμεν, ψῠγείημεν	ψῠγεῖτε, ψῠγείητε	ψῠγεῖεν, ψῠγείησᾰν
	imperative		ψῠ́γηθῐ	ψῠγήτω	ψῠ́γητον	ψῠγήτων		ψῠ́γητε	ψῠγέντων
							passive
infinitive							ψῠγῆναι
participle	m						ψῠγείς
	f						ψῠγεῖσᾰ
	n						ψῠγέν
Notes:	This table gives Attic inflectional endings. For conjugation in dialects other than Attic, see Appendix:Ancient Greek dialectal conjugation.

   Perfect: ἔψῡχᾰ, ἔψῠγμαι

number		singular			dual		plural
		first	second	third	second	third	first	second	third
active	indicative	ἔψῡχᾰ	ἔψῡχᾰς	ἔψῡχε(ν)	ἐψῡ́χᾰτον	ἐψῡ́χᾰτον	ἐψῡ́χᾰμεν	ἐψῡ́χᾰτε	ἐψῡ́χᾱσῐ(ν)
	subjunctive	ἐψῡ́χω	ἐψῡ́χῃς	ἐψῡ́χῃ	ἐψῡ́χητον	ἐψῡ́χητον	ἐψῡ́χωμεν	ἐψῡ́χητε	ἐψῡ́χωσῐ(ν)
	optative	ἐψῡ́χοιμῐ, ἐψῡχοίην	ἐψῡ́χοις, ἐψῡχοίης	ἐψῡ́χοι, ἐψῡχοίη	ἐψῡ́χοιτον	ἐψῡχοίτην	ἐψῡ́χοιμεν	ἐψῡ́χοιτε	ἐψῡ́χοιεν
	imperative		ἔψῡχε	ἐψῡχέτω	ἐψῡ́χετον	ἐψῡχέτων		ἐψῡ́χετε	ἐψῡχόντων
middle/ passive	indicative	ἔψῠγμαι	ἔψῠξαι	ἔψῠκται	ἔψῠχθον	ἔψῠχθον	ἐψῠ́γμεθᾰ	ἔψῠχθε	ἐψῠ́χᾰται
	subjunctive	ἐψῠγμένος ὦ	ἐψῠγμένος ᾖς	ἐψῠγμένος ᾖ	ἐψῠγμένω ἦτον	ἐψῠγμένω ἦτον	ἐψῠγμένοι ὦμεν	ἐψῠγμένοι ἦτε	ἐψῠγμένοι ὦσῐ(ν)
	optative	ἐψῠγμένος εἴην	ἐψῠγμένος εἴης	ἐψῠγμένος εἴη	ἐψῠγμένω εἴητον/εἶτον	ἐψῠγμένω εἰήτην/εἴτην	ἐψῠγμένοι εἴημεν/εἶμεν	ἐψῠγμένοι εἴητε/εἶτε	ἐψῠγμένοι εἴησᾰν/εἶεν
	imperative		ἔψῠξο	ἐψῠ́χθω	ἔψῠχθον	ἐψῠ́χθων		ἔψῠχθε	ἐψῠ́χθων
		active				middle/passive
infinitive		ἐψῡχέναι				ἐψῠ́χθαι
participle	m	ἐψῡχώς				ἐψῠγμένος
	f	ἐψῡχυῖᾰ				ἐψῠγμένη
	n	ἐψῡχός				ἐψῠγμένον
Notes:	This table gives Attic inflectional endings. For conjugation in dialects other than Attic, see Appendix:Ancient Greek dialectal conjugation.

Synonyms

• (breathe, blow): πνέω (pnéō)

Derived terms

• ᾰ̓νᾰψῡ́χω (anapsū́khō)
• ἀντῐψῡ́χω (antipsū́khō)
• ᾰ̓ποψῡ́χω (apopsū́khō)
• ᾰ̓́ψυκτος (ápsuktos)
• δῐᾰψῡ́χω (diapsū́khō)
• δῠ́σψυκτος (dúspsuktos)
• ἐκψῡ́χω (ekpsū́khō)
• ἐμψῡ́χω (empsū́khō)
• ἐπῐψῡ́χω (epipsū́khō)
• εὔψυκτος (eúpsuktos)
• εὐψῡχής (eupsūkhḗs)
• ἡμῐ́ψυκτος (hēmípsuktos)
• κᾰτᾰψῡ́χω (katapsū́khō)
• οἰνοψυκτήρ (oinopsuktḗr)
• πᾰρᾰψῡ́χω (parapsū́khō)
• περιψῡ́χω (peripsū́khō)
• προσψῡ́χω (prospsū́khō)
• προψῡ́χω (propsū́khō)
• σκῐόψυκτος (skiópsuktos)
• σῠμψῡ́χομαι (sumpsū́khomai)
• ὑδροψῠγεῖον (hudropsugeîon)
• ὑδροψύκτῐον (hudropsúktion)
• ῠ̔περψῡ́χω (huperpsū́khō)
• ῠ̔ποψῡ́χω (hupopsū́khō)
• χλιᾰροψῡ́χῐον (khliaropsū́khion)
• ψῡχοποιός (psūkhopoiós)
• ψῡχορροφέω (psūkhorrhophéō)

 

Related terms

• ψῠγεῖον (psugeîon)
• ψῠγεύς (psugeús)
• ψῠ́γμᾰ (psúgma)
• ψυγμός (psugmós)
• ψυκτέον (psuktéon)
• ψῠκτήρ (psuktḗr)
• ψυκτηρῐ́δῐον (psuktērídion)
• ψυκτήρῐον (psuktḗrion)
• ψυκτήρῐος (psuktḗrios)
• ψυκτηρίσκος (psuktērískos)
• ψυκτῐκός (psuktikós)
• ψύκτρα (psúktra)
• ψῦξῐς (psûxis)
• ψῡχάζω (psūkházō)
• ψῡχεινός (psūkheinós)
• ψῡχεῖον (psūkheîon)
• ψῡχή (psūkhḗ)
• ψῡχίζομαι (psūkhízomai)
• ψῦχος (psûkhos)
• ψῡχόω (psūkhóō)
• ψῡ́χρᾱ (psū́khrā)
• ψῡχρός (psūkhrós)

 

Further reading

• “ψύχω”, in Liddell & Scott (1940) A Greek–English Lexicon, Oxford: Clarendon Press
• “ψύχω”, in Liddell & Scott (1889) An Intermediate Greek–English Lexicon, New York: Harper & Brothers
• “ψύχω”, in Autenrieth, Georg (1891) A Homeric Dictionary for Schools and Colleges, New York: Harper and Brothers
• ψύχω 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
• ψύχω in Cunliffe, Richard J. (1924) A Lexicon of the Homeric Dialect: Expanded Edition, Norman: University of Oklahoma Press, published 1963
• G5594 in Strong, James (1979) Strong’s Exhaustive Concordance to the Bible
• “ψύχω”, in ΛΟΓΕΙΟΝ [Logeion] Dictionaries for Ancient Greek and Latin (in English, French, Spanish, German, Dutch and Chinese), University of Chicago, since 2011

Greek

Verb

ψύχω • (psýcho) (past έψυξα, passive ψύχομαι, ppp ψύχθηκα)

1. (transitive) to chill, freeze

Conjugation

This verb needs an inflection-table template.

Related terms

• αποψύχω (apopsýcho, “to defrost”)
• ψυχρός (psychrós, “cold, cool”, adjective)
• ψυχρότητα f (psychrótita, “coolness”)
• ψυχρούλα f (psychroúla, “cool”)

Further reading

• ψύχω, in Λεξικό της κοινής νεοελληνικής [Dictionary of Standard Modern Greek], Triantafyllidis Foundation, 1998 at the Centre for the Greek language