ἀββᾶς

See also: αββάς

Ancient Greek

Etymology

Word of 4th century. The indeclinable ἀββα (abba) or ἀββᾶ (abbâ) stem ἀββ- + ending -ᾶς, adjusting to an inflectional system, from Aramaic אבא (’abbā, “father”). More inflectional forms added later like medieval plurals in -ᾶδες/-άδες.

Pronunciation

 

• IPA^(key): /aβˈβas/ → /aˈvas/

• (4^th CE Koine) IPA^(key): /aβˈβas/
• (10^th CE Byzantine) IPA^(key): /avˈvas/
• (15^th CE Constantinopolitan) IPA^(key): /aˈvas/

Noun

ἀββᾶς • (abbâs) m (genitive ἀββᾶ); irregular declension with combination of inflectional forms (Koine) & Medieval Greek

1. declinable form of ἀββα (abba), ἀββᾶ (abbâ) (both indeclinable)

Inflection

Genitive singular: ἀββᾶ (abbâ).
The inflectional forms with -δ- like plural ἀββᾶδες (abbâdes) or ἀββάδες (abbádes), are later.

Irregular declension of ὁ ἀββᾶς; τοῦ ἀββᾶ (examples of some attested inflectional forms)

Case / #	Singular	Plural
Nominative	ὁ ἀββᾶς ho abbâs	οἱ ἀββᾶδες / ἀββάδες hoi abbâdes / abbádes
Genitive	τοῦ ἀββᾶ toû abbâ	τῶν ἀββάδων tôn abbádōn
Dative	τῷ ἀββᾷ tōî abbāî	—
Accusative	τὸν ? tòn ?	τοὺς ἀββάδας toùs abbádas
Vocative	ἀββᾶ abbâ	ἀββᾶδες / ἀββάδες abbâdes / abbádes
Notes:	Dialects other than Attic are not well attested. Some forms may be based on conjecture. Use with caution.

Descendants

• > Greek: αββάς (avvás) (inherited) & simplified αβάς (avás)

Further reading

• ἀββα, ἀββᾶ, Ἀββά, in ΛΟΓΕΙΟΝ [Logeion] Dictionaries for Ancient Greek and Latin (in English, French, Spanish, German, Dutch and Chinese), University of Chicago, since 2011
• ἀββα in the Diccionario Griego–Español en línea (2006–2025)
• p.3, vol.1 Kriaras, Emmanuel (1969-2021), Λεξικό της Μεσαιωνικής Ελληνικής Δημώδους Γραμματείας [Lexikó tis Mesaionikís Ellinikís Dimódous Grammateías, Dictionary of Medieval Vulgar Greek Literature (1100–1669) Vols. 1–22] (in Greek), Thessaloniki: Centre for the Greek language, Vols.15-22 ed. I.N. Kazazis et al.