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ἔθνος

From Wiktionary, the free dictionary
See also: έθνος

Ancient Greek

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Etymology

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    PIE word
    *swé

    Probably from Ancient Greek ἔθω (éthō, I am accustomed, wont (to something)) + -νος (-nos), equivalent to Proto-Indo-European *swedʰ-no-, expanded from the reflexive pronoun Proto-Indo-European *swé (self) + *dʰeh₁- (to put, place, set).[1] For semantic development of senses 3 and 4, compare Hebrew גּוֹי (goi).

    Pronunciation

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    Noun

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    ἔθνος (éthnosn (genitive ἔθνεος or ἔθνους); third declension

    1. group of people: band, tribe, kin, nation
    2. group of animals: flock, herd
    3. (later, in the plural) foreign nations, barbarians
    4. (Jewish and Christian usage, in the plural) gentiles, heathen
    5. class, caste

    Inflection

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    Derived terms

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    Descendants

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    • Coptic: ⲉⲑⲛⲟⲥ (ethnos)
    • English: ethnos
    • Greek: έθνος (éthnos)
    • Russian: э́тнос (étnos)

    from the spoken alternative form ἕθνος (héthnos):

    References

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    1. ^ Beekes, Robert S. P. (2010) “ἔθνος”, 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, pages 377–378

    Further reading

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