ἰχθύς

See also: ιχθύς, ἰχθῦς, and ΙΧΘΥΣ

Ancient Greek

Alternative forms

ῐ̓χθῦς (ĭkhthûs)

Etymology

Perhaps from Proto-Indo-European *dʰǵʰúHs (“fish”), but the initial ἰ is unetymological and problematic.^[1]^[2] Compare Old Armenian ձուկն (jukn) and Lithuanian žuvi̇̀s.

Pronunciation

(5^th BCE Attic) IPA^(key): /ikʰ.tʰy̌ːs/
(1^st CE Egyptian) IPA^(key): /ikʰˈtʰys/
(4^th CE Koine) IPA^(key): /ixˈθys/
(10^th CE Byzantine) IPA^(key): /ixˈθys/
(15^th CE Constantinopolitan) IPA^(key): /ixˈθis/

Noun

ῐ̓χθῡ́ς • (ĭkhthū́s) m (genitive ῐ̓χθῠ́ος); third declension

fish
- c. 800 BCE – 600 BCE, Homer, Iliad 24.82:
  ἔρχεται ὠμηστῇσιν ἐπ’ ἰχθύσι κῆρα φέρουσα
  érkhetai ōmēstēîsin ep’ ikhthúsi kêra phérousa
  goeth down bearing death to the ravenous fishes
1. (figuratively) stupid person
  - 46 CE – 120 CE, Plutarch, Moralia 2.975b:
    ὥσπερ αὖ καὶ τῶν βασιλέων Ἀετὸς μὲν ὁ Πύρρος ἥδετο καλούμενος Ἰέραξ δ' ὁ Ἀντίοχος· ἰχθῦς δὲ τοὺς ἀμαθεῖς καὶ ἀνοήτους λοιδοροῦντες ἢ σκώπτοντες ὀνομάζομεν.
    hṓsper aû kaì tôn basiléōn Aetòs mèn ho Púrrhos hḗdeto kaloúmenos Iérax d’ ho Antíokhos; ikhthûs dè toùs amatheîs kaì anoḗtous loidoroûntes ḕ skṓptontes onomázomen.
    So again, among monarchs Pyrrhus liked to be called an Eagle and Antiochus a Hawk. But when we deride, or rail at, stupid and ignorant people we call them "fish."
2. (in the plural) fish market
  - 405 BCE, Aristophanes, The Frogs 1068:
    κἂν ταῦτα λέγων ἐξαπατήσῃ, παρὰ τοὺς ἰχθῦς ἀνέκυψεν.
    kàn taûta légōn exapatḗsēi, parà toùs ikhthûs anékupsen.
    And if he fooled 'em with that story, he'd pop up in the fish market.
3. (in the plural) Pisces (constellation)
  - 190 BCE – 120 BCE, Hipparchus, Collected Works 1.2.3
  - 234 CE – 305 CE, Porphyry, Antr. 22

Declension

Third declension of ὁ ῐ̓χθῡ́ς; τοῦ ῐ̓χθῠ́ος (Attic)

Case / #	Singular	Dual	Plural
Nominative	ὁ ῐ̓χθῡ́ς ho ĭkhthū́s	τὼ ῐ̓χθῠ́ε tṑ ĭkhthŭ́e	οἱ ῐ̓χθῠ́ες / ῐ̓χθῦς hoi ĭkhthŭ́es / ĭkhthûs
Genitive	τοῦ ῐ̓χθῠ́ος toû ĭkhthŭ́os	τοῖν ῐ̓χθῠ́οιν toîn ĭkhthŭ́oin	τῶν ῐ̓χθῠ́ων tôn ĭkhthŭ́ōn
Dative	τῷ ῐ̓χθῠ́ῐ̈ / ῐ̓χθυῖ tōî ĭkhthŭ́ĭ̈ / ĭkhthuî	τοῖν ῐ̓χθῠ́οιν toîn ĭkhthŭ́oin	τοῖς ῐ̓χθῠ́σῐ / ῐ̓χθῠ́σῐν toîs ĭkhthŭ́sĭ(n)
Accusative	τὸν ῐ̓χθῡ́ν tòn ĭkhthū́n	τὼ ῐ̓χθῠ́ε tṑ ĭkhthŭ́e	τοὺς ῐ̓χθῦς / ῐ̓χθῠ́ᾰς toùs ĭkhthûs / ĭkhthŭ́ăs
Vocative	ῐ̓χθῡ́ ĭkhthū́	ῐ̓χθῠ́ε ĭkhthŭ́e	ῐ̓χθῠ́ες / ῐ̓χθῦς ĭkhthŭ́es / ĭkhthûs
Notes:	This table gives Attic inflectional endings. For declension in other dialects, see Appendix:Ancient Greek dialectal declension.

Third declension of ῐ̓χθῡ́ς; ῐ̓χθῠ́ος (Epic)

Case / #	Singular	Dual	Plural
Nominative	ῐ̓χθῡ́ς ĭkhthū́s	ῐ̓χθῠ́ε ĭkhthŭ́e	ῐ̓χθῠ́ες ĭkhthŭ́es
Genitive	ῐ̓χθῠ́ος ĭkhthŭ́os	ῐ̓χθῠ́οιῐ̈ν ĭkhthŭ́oiĭ̈n	ῐ̓χθῠ́ων ĭkhthŭ́ōn
Dative	ῐ̓χθῠ́ῐ̈ / ῐ̓χθυῖ ĭkhthŭ́ĭ̈ / ĭkhthuî	ῐ̓χθῠ́οιῐ̈ν ĭkhthŭ́oiĭ̈n	ῐ̓χθῠ́σῐ / ῐ̓χθῠ́σῐν / ῐ̓χθῠ́σσῐ / ῐ̓χθῠ́σσῐν / ῐ̓χθῠ́εσσῐ / ῐ̓χθῠ́εσσῐν ĭkhthŭ́sĭ(n) / ĭkhthŭ́ssĭ(n) / ĭkhthŭ́essĭ(n)
Accusative	ῐ̓χθῡ́ν ĭkhthū́n	ῐ̓χθῠ́ε ĭkhthŭ́e	ῐ̓χθῠ́ᾰς / ῐ̓χθῦς ĭkhthŭ́ăs / ĭkhthûs
Vocative	ῐ̓χθῡ́ ĭkhthū́	ῐ̓χθῠ́ε ĭkhthŭ́e	ῐ̓χθῠ́ες ĭkhthŭ́es
Notes:	Dialects other than Attic are not well attested. Some forms may be based on conjecture. Use with caution.

Third declension of ὁ ῐ̓χθῡ́ς; τοῦ ῐ̓χθῠ́ος (Ionic)

Case / #	Singular	Dual	Plural
Nominative	ὁ ῐ̓χθῡ́ς ho ĭkhthū́s	τὼ ῐ̓χθῠ́ε tṑ ĭkhthŭ́e	οἱ ῐ̓χθῠ́ες hoi ĭkhthŭ́es
Genitive	τοῦ ῐ̓χθῠ́ος toû ĭkhthŭ́os	τοῖν ῐ̓χθῠ́οιν toîn ĭkhthŭ́oin	τῶν ῐ̓χθῠ́ων tôn ĭkhthŭ́ōn
Dative	τῷ ῐ̓χθῠ́ῐ̈ / ῐ̓χθυῖ tōî ĭkhthŭ́ĭ̈ / ĭkhthuî	τοῖν ῐ̓χθῠ́οιν toîn ĭkhthŭ́oin	τοῖσῐ / τοῖσῐν ῐ̓χθῠ́σῐ / ῐ̓χθῠ́σῐν toîsĭ(n) ĭkhthŭ́sĭ(n)
Accusative	τὸν ῐ̓χθῡ́ν tòn ĭkhthū́n	τὼ ῐ̓χθῠ́ε tṑ ĭkhthŭ́e	τοὺς ῐ̓χθῠ́ᾰς / ῐ̓χθῦς toùs ĭkhthŭ́ăs / ĭkhthûs
Vocative	ῐ̓χθῡ́ ĭkhthū́	ῐ̓χθῠ́ε ĭkhthŭ́e	ῐ̓χθῠ́ες ĭkhthŭ́es
Notes:	Dialects other than Attic are not well attested. Some forms may be based on conjecture. Use with caution.

Derived terms

ᾰ̓́νῐχθῠς (ắnĭkhthŭs)
ᾰ̓πῐχθῠόομαι (ăpĭkhthŭóomai)
ᾰ̓́πῐχθῠς (ắpĭkhthŭs)
ᾰ̓πῐ́χθῡς (ăpĭ́khthūs)
εὔῐ̈χθῠς (eúĭ̈khthŭs)
ῐ̓χθῠ́ᾱ (ĭkhthŭ́ā)
ῐ̓χθῠᾰγωγός (ĭkhthŭăgōgós)
ῐ̓χθῠᾰ́ζομαι (ĭkhthŭắzomai)
ῐ̓χθῠᾰ́ζω (ĭkhthŭắzō)
ῐ̓χθῠαῖος (ĭkhthŭaîos)
ῐ̓χθῠᾰκός (ĭkhthŭăkós)
ῐ̓χθῠᾰ́ρῐον (ĭkhthŭắrĭon)
ῐ̓χθῠᾰ́ω (ĭkhthŭắō)
ῐ̓χθῠβολεύς (ĭkhthŭboleús)
ῐ̓χθῠβολέω (ĭkhthŭboléō)
ῐ̓χθῠ́βολος (ĭkhthŭ́bolos)
ῐ̓χθῠβόρος (ĭkhthŭbóros)
ῐ̓χθῠ́βοτος (ĭkhthŭ́botos)
ῐ̓χθῠγόνος (ĭkhthŭgónos)
ῐ̓χθῡ̆́δῐον (ĭkhthū̆́dĭon)
ῐ̓χθῠδόκοι (ĭkhthŭdókoi)
ῐ̓χθῠδόκος (ĭkhthŭdókos)
ῐ̓χθῠεῖον (ĭkhthŭeîon)
ῐ̓χθῠ́ες (ĭkhthŭ́es)
ῐ̓χθῠ́η (ĭkhthŭ́ē)
ῐ̓χθῠῆμᾰ (ĭkhthŭêmă)
ῐ̓χθῠήμᾰτᾰ (ĭkhthŭḗmătă)
ῐ̓χθῠηρός (ĭkhthŭērós)
ῐ̓χθῠῐ̈́ᾱ (ĭkhthŭĭ̈́ā)
ῐ̓χθῠῐ̈́δῐον (ĭkhthŭĭ̈́dĭon)
ῐ̓χθῠῐ̈κός (ĭkhthŭĭ̈kós)
ῐ̓χθῠ́ῐ̈νος (ĭkhthŭ́ĭ̈nos)
ῐ̓χθῠ́κεντρον (ĭkhthŭ́kentron)
ῐ̓χθῠμέδων (ĭkhthŭmédōn)
ῐ̓χθῠνόμος (ĭkhthŭnómos)
ῐ̓χθῠοβολεύς (ĭkhthŭoboleús)
ῐ̓χθῠοβόλος (ĭkhthŭobólos)
ῐ̓χθῠόβρωτος (ĭkhthŭóbrōtos)
ῐ̓χθῠοειδής (ĭkhthŭoeidḗs)
ῐ̓χθῠόεις (ĭkhthŭóeis)
ῐ̓χθῠόθηρ (ĭkhthŭóthēr)
ῐ̓χθῠοθήρᾱ (ĭkhthŭothḗrā)
ῐ̓χθῠοθῆρᾱς (ĭkhthŭothêrās)
ῐ̓χθῠοθήρᾱς (ĭkhthŭothḗrās)
ῐ̓χθῠοθηρευτής (ĭkhthŭothēreutḗs)
ῐ̓χθῠοθηρευτῐκός (ĭkhthŭothēreutĭkós)
ῐ̓χθῠοθηρητήρ (ĭkhthŭothērētḗr)
ῐ̓χθῠοθηρῐ́ᾱ (ĭkhthŭothērĭ́ā)
ῐ̓χθῠοθηρῐκός (ĭkhthŭothērĭkós)
ῐ̓χθῠόθηρον (ĭkhthŭóthēron)
ῐ̓χθῠοκένταυρος (ĭkhthŭokéntauros)
ῐ̓χθῠόκεντρον (ĭkhthŭókentron)
ῐ̓χθῠόκολλᾰ (ĭkhthŭókollă)
ῐ̓χθῠόκολλον (ĭkhthŭókollon)
ῐ̓χθῠοκτόνος (ĭkhthŭoktónos)
ῐ̓χθῠοληῐ̈στήρ (ĭkhthŭolēĭ̈stḗr)
ῐ̓χθῠολκός (ĭkhthŭolkós)
ῐ̓χθῠολογέω (ĭkhthŭologéō)
ῐ̓χθῠολῡ́μης (ĭkhthŭolū́mēs)
ῐ̓χθῠομᾰντεῐ́ᾱ (ĭkhthŭomănteĭ́ā)
ῐ̓χθῠόμᾰντῐς (ĭkhthŭómăntĭs)
ῐ̓χθῠομετᾰ́βολος (ĭkhthŭometắbolos)
ῐ̓χθῠόμορφος (ĭkhthŭómorphos)
ῐ̓χθῠόνερ (ĭkhthŭóner)
ῐ̓χθῠοοπτῐ́ς (ĭkhthŭooptĭ́s)
ῐ̓χθῠοπρᾰτέω (ĭkhthŭoprătéō)
ῐ̓χθῠοπρᾱ́της (ĭkhthŭoprā́tēs)
ῐ̓χθῠοπτῐ́ς (ĭkhthŭoptĭ́s)
ῐ̓χθῠοπτρῐ́ς (ĭkhthŭoptrĭ́s)
ῐ̓χθῠοπώλαινᾰ (ĭkhthŭopṓlaină)
ῐ̓χθῠοπωλεῖον (ĭkhthŭopōleîon)
ῐ̓χθῠοπωλέω (ĭkhthŭopōléō)
ῐ̓χθῠοπώλης (ĭkhthŭopṓlēs)
ῐ̓χθῠοπωλῐ́ᾱ (ĭkhthŭopōlĭ́ā)
ῐ̓χθῠοπώλῐον (ĭkhthŭopṓlĭon)
ῐ̓χθῠόπωλῐς (ĭkhthŭópōlĭs)
ῐ̓χθῠόρροος (ĭkhthŭórrhoos)
ῐ̓χθῠόρρους (ĭkhthŭórrhous)
ῐ̓χθῠοστεφής (ĭkhthŭostephḗs)
ῐ̓χθῠοσῠ́νθετος (ĭkhthŭosŭ́nthetos)
ῐ̓χθῠοτᾰ́ρῑχον (ĭkhthŭotắrīkhon)
ῐ̓χθῠοτόκος (ĭkhthŭotókos)
ῐ̓χθῠοτροφεῖον (ĭkhthŭotropheîon)
ῐ̓χθῠοτροφῐκός (ĭkhthŭotrophĭkós)
ῐ̓χθῠοτρόφῐον (ĭkhthŭotróphĭon)
ῐ̓χθῠοτρόφος (ĭkhthŭotróphos)
ῐ̓χθῠουλκός (ĭkhthŭoulkós)
ῐ̓χθῠοφᾰγέω (ĭkhthŭophăgéō)
ῐ̓χθῠοφᾰγῐ́ᾱ (ĭkhthŭophăgĭ́ā)
Ῐ̓χθῠοφᾰ́γοι (Ĭkhthŭophắgoi)
ῐ̓χθῠόφᾰγος (ĭkhthŭóphăgos)
ῐ̓χθῠοφορέω (ĭkhthŭophoréō)
ῐ̓χθῠοφόρος (ĭkhthŭophóros)
ῐ̓χθῠόφορος (ĭkhthŭóphoros)
ῐ̓χθῠπᾰγής (ĭkhthŭpăgḗs)
ῐ̓χθῠπόρος (ĭkhthŭpóros)
ῐ̓χθῠ́πρῳρος (ĭkhthŭ́prōiros)
ῐ̓χθῠ́πρωρος (ĭkhthŭ́prōros)
ῐ̓χθῠπώλαινᾰ (ĭkhthŭpṓlaină)
Ῐ̓χθῡ́ς (Ĭkhthū́s)
ῐ̓χθῠσῐληῐ̈στήρ (ĭkhthŭsĭlēĭ̈stḗr)
ῐ̓χθῠστεφής (ĭkhthŭstephḗs)
ῐ̓χθῠτόκος (ĭkhthŭtókos)
ῐ̓χθῠφᾰ́γος (ĭkhthŭphắgos)
ῐ̓χθῠφόνος (ĭkhthŭphónos)
ῐ̓χθῠώδης (ĭkhthŭṓdēs)
ῐ̓χθῠωδῶς (ĭkhthŭōdôs)
Ῐ̓χθῠ́ων (Ĭkhthŭ́ōn)
κᾰ́λλῐχθῠς (kắllĭkhthŭs)
κᾰλλῐ́χθῠς (kăllĭ́khthŭs)
πολῠῐ̈́χθῠος (polŭĭ̈́khthŭos)
πολῠ́ῐ̈χθῠς (polŭ́ĭ̈khthŭs)
φῐ́λῐχθῠς (phĭ́lĭkhthŭs)

Descendants

Greek: ιχθύς (ichthýs)
→ English: ichthyo-
→ English: ichthys

References

^ Pokorny, Julius (1959), Indogermanisches etymologisches Wörterbuch [Indo-European Etymological Dictionary] (in German), Bern, München: Francke Verlag (This etymology is missing or incomplete. Please add to it, or discuss it at the Etymology scriptorium. Particularly: “which page + entry name?”)
^ Beekes, Robert S. P. (2010), “ἰχθῡς, -ύος”, in Etymological Dictionary of Greek (Leiden Indo-European Etymological Dictionary Series; 10), with the assistance of Lucien van Beek, Leiden, Boston: Brill, →ISBN, pages 606-607