ἄνθρωπος

See also: άνθρωπος

Ancient Greek

Alternative forms

ᾱ̔́νθρωπος (hā́nthrōpos) — Attic, crasis with ὁ (ho, definite article)
ὥνθρωπος (hṓnthrōpos) — Ionic, crasis with ὁ (ho, definite article)
ἀνθρωπώ (anthrōpṓ) — Laconian
ἄντρο̄πος (ántrōpos) — Cretan^[1]
𐠀𐠰𐠦𐠡𐠩 (a-to-ro-po-se) — Cypriot

Etymology

First attested in Hellenic as Mycenaean Greek 𐀀𐀵𐀫𐀦 (a-to-ro-qo), of uncertain origin. Scholars used to consider it to be a compound from ᾰ̓νήρ (ănḗr, “man”) and ὤψ (ṓps, “face, appearance, look”): thus, "he who looks like a man". However, a δ (d) would be expected to develop by epenthesis, as in the genitive ᾰ̓νδρός (ăndrós), yielding *ᾰ̓νδρωπος (*ăndrōpos). Rosén defends this etymology, positing that the original laryngeal *h₃ in the root for ὤψ (ṓps) (from Proto-Indo-European *h₃ókʷs) changed the δ to its aspirated counterpart θ even across the intervening ρ.^[2]

Beekes argues that since no convincing Indo-European etymology has been found, the word is probably of Pre-Greek origin; he connects the word with the word δρώψ (drṓps, “man”). According to Beekes (2009:xxix), "Shift of aspiration is found in some cases: θριγκός / τριγχός, ἀθραγένη / ἀνδράχνη".^[3]

Garnier proposes a derivation from Proto-Indo-European *n̥dʰéreh₃kʷós (“that which is below”) (from *(H)n̥dʰér + *-h₃kʷ-o-), hence "earthly, human",^[4] for this compare with Proto-Indo-European *dʰéǵʰōm (“earth”) whence Latin homō, Old Lithuanian žmuõ (“man”), Old English guma (“man”).

The word is treated in Plato's Cratylus.^[5]

Pronunciation

(5^th BCE Attic) IPA^(key): /án.tʰrɔː.pos/
(1^st CE Egyptian) IPA^(key): /ˈan.tʰro.pos/
(4^th CE Koine) IPA^(key): /ˈan.θro.pos/
(10^th CE Byzantine) IPA^(key): /ˈan.θro.pos/
(15^th CE Constantinopolitan) IPA^(key): /ˈan.θro.pos/

Noun

ᾰ̓́νθρωπος • (ắnthrōpos) m or f (genitive ᾰ̓νθρώπου); second declension (Attic, Epic, Ionic, Koine)

human being; person (as differentiated from gods, beasts, etc.)
(philosophy) man; humanity
(sometimes in the plural) all human beings; mankind
(feminine, derogatory) female slave

Usage notes

In Attic and Ionic, the vocative singular form ᾰ̓́νθρωπε (ắnthrōpe) sometimes undergoes crasis with a preceding vocative particle ὦ (ô, “O”), variously rendered as ὦνθρωπε (ônthrōpe) or ὤνθρωπε (ṓnthrōpe).

Declension

Second declension of ὁ / ἡ ᾰ̓́νθρωπος; τοῦ / τῆς ᾰ̓νθρώπου (Attic)

Case / #	Singular	Dual	Plural
Nominative	ὁ / ἡ ᾰ̓́νθρωπος ho / hē ắnthrōpos	τὼ ᾰ̓νθρώπω tṑ ănthrṓpō	οἱ / αἱ ᾰ̓́νθρωποι hoi / hai ắnthrōpoi
Genitive	τοῦ / τῆς ᾰ̓νθρώπου toû / tês ănthrṓpou	τοῖν ᾰ̓νθρώποιν toîn ănthrṓpoin	τῶν ᾰ̓νθρώπων tôn ănthrṓpōn
Dative	τῷ / τῇ ᾰ̓νθρώπῳ tōî / tēî ănthrṓpōi	τοῖν ᾰ̓νθρώποιν toîn ănthrṓpoin	τοῖς / ταῖς ᾰ̓νθρώποις toîs / taîs ănthrṓpois
Accusative	τὸν / τὴν ᾰ̓́νθρωπον tòn / tḕn ắnthrōpon	τὼ ᾰ̓νθρώπω tṑ ănthrṓpō	τοὺς / τᾱ̀ς ᾰ̓νθρώπους toùs / tā̀s ănthrṓpous
Vocative	ᾰ̓́νθρωπε / ὦνθρωπε / ὤνθρωπε ắnthrōpe / ônthrōpe / ṓnthrōpe	ᾰ̓νθρώπω ănthrṓpō	ᾰ̓́νθρωποι ắnthrōpoi
Notes:	This table gives Attic inflectional endings. For declension in other dialects, see Appendix:Ancient Greek dialectal declension.

Second declension of ᾰ̓́νθρωπος; ᾰ̓νθρώποιο / ᾰ̓νθρώποο / ᾰ̓νθρώπου (Epic)

Case / #	Singular	Dual	Plural
Nominative	ᾰ̓́νθρωπος ắnthrōpos	ᾰ̓νθρώπω ănthrṓpō	ᾰ̓́νθρωποι ắnthrōpoi
Genitive	ᾰ̓νθρώποιο / ᾰ̓νθρώποο / ᾰ̓νθρώπου ănthrṓpoio / ănthrṓpoo / ănthrṓpou	ᾰ̓νθρώποιῐ̈ν ănthrṓpoiĭ̈n	ᾰ̓νθρώπων ănthrṓpōn
Dative	ᾰ̓νθρώπῳ ănthrṓpōi	ᾰ̓νθρώποιῐ̈ν ănthrṓpoiĭ̈n	ᾰ̓νθρώποισῐ / ᾰ̓νθρώποισῐν / ᾰ̓νθρώποις ănthrṓpoisĭ(n) / ănthrṓpois
Accusative	ᾰ̓́νθρωπον ắnthrōpon	ᾰ̓νθρώπω ănthrṓpō	ᾰ̓νθρώπους ănthrṓpous
Vocative	ᾰ̓́νθρωπε ắnthrōpe	ᾰ̓νθρώπω ănthrṓpō	ᾰ̓́νθρωποι ắnthrōpoi
Notes:	Dialects other than Attic are not well attested. Some forms may be based on conjecture. Use with caution.

Second declension of ὁ / ἡ ᾰ̓́νθρωπος; τοῦ / τῆς ᾰ̓νθρώπου (Ionic)

Case / #	Singular	Dual	Plural
Nominative	ὁ / ἡ ᾰ̓́νθρωπος ho / hē ắnthrōpos	τὼ ᾰ̓νθρώπω tṑ ănthrṓpō	οἱ / αἱ ᾰ̓́νθρωποι hoi / hai ắnthrōpoi
Genitive	τοῦ / τῆς ᾰ̓νθρώπου toû / tês ănthrṓpou	τοῖν ᾰ̓νθρώποιν toîn ănthrṓpoin	τῶν ᾰ̓νθρώπων tôn ănthrṓpōn
Dative	τῷ / τῇ ᾰ̓νθρώπῳ tōî / tēî ănthrṓpōi	τοῖν ᾰ̓νθρώποιν toîn ănthrṓpoin	τοῖσῐ / τοῖσῐν ᾰ̓νθρώποισῐ / ᾰ̓νθρώποισῐν toîsĭ(n) ănthrṓpoisĭ(n)
Accusative	τὸν / τὴν ᾰ̓́νθρωπον tòn / tḕn ắnthrōpon	τὼ ᾰ̓νθρώπω tṑ ănthrṓpō	τοὺς / τᾱ̀ς ᾰ̓νθρώπους toùs / tā̀s ănthrṓpous
Vocative	ᾰ̓́νθρωπε / ὦνθρωπε / ὤνθρωπε ắnthrōpe / ônthrōpe / ṓnthrōpe	ᾰ̓νθρώπω ănthrṓpō	ᾰ̓́νθρωποι ắnthrōpoi
Notes:	Dialects other than Attic are not well attested. Some forms may be based on conjecture. Use with caution.

Derived terms

ᾰ̓νθρώπειος (ănthrṓpeios)
ᾰ̓νθρώπῐνος (ănthrṓpĭnos)
ᾰ̓νθρωποειδής (ănthrōpoeidḗs)
ᾰ̓νθρωποκεντρῐκός (ănthrōpokentrĭkós)
ᾰ̓νθρωπολογῐ́ᾱ (ănthrōpologĭ́ā)
ᾰ̓νθρωπομορφῐσμός (ănthrōpomorphĭsmós)
ᾰ̓νθρωποποιῐ̈́ᾱ (ănthrōpopoiĭ̈́ā)
μῑσᾰ́νθρωπος (mīsắnthrōpos)
ὀλῐγᾰνθρωπῐ́ᾱ (olĭgănthrōpĭ́ā)

Descendants

→ Greek: άνθρωπος (ánthropos, “man”)
→ English: Anthropos, anthropo- (learned)

References

^ ἄνθρωπος in the Diccionario Griego–Español en línea (2006–2026)
^ Haiim B. Rosén (1986), Ἄνθρωπος, in: Zeitschrift für vergleichende Sprachforschung 99, issue 2, pp. 243–244.
^ Beekes, Robert S. P. (2010), “ἄνθρωπος”, in Etymological Dictionary of Greek (Leiden Indo-European Etymological Dictionary Series; 10), volume I, with the assistance of Lucien van Beek, Leiden, Boston: Brill, →ISBN, page 107
^ Garnier, Romain (2008), “Nouvelles réflexions étymologiques autour du grec ἄνθρωπος [New etymological reflections about the Greek ἄνθρωπος]”, in Bulletin de la société de linguistique de Paris‎^[1], number 102.1, pages 131-154
^ “Plato's Cratylus. Section 399c.”, in (Please provide the book title or journal name)‎^[2], Perseus Project Texts, 26 April 2019 (last accessed), archived from the original on 26 November 2020:
I will tell you. The name “man” (ἄνθρωπος) indicates that the other animals do not examine, or consider, or look up at (ἀναθρεῖ/anathrei) any of the things that they see, but man has no sooner seen—that is, ὄπωπε (opopen)—than he looks up at and considers that which he has seen. Therefore of all the animals man alone is rightly called man (ἄνθρωπος), because he looks up at (ἀναθρεῖ) what he has seen (ὄπωπε).