-αίνω

Ancient Greek

Etymology

Originally from Proto-Hellenic *-əňňō, from either Proto-Indo-European *-n̥yeti or *-m̥yeti, then freely used.

Pronunciation

 

• IPA^(key): /ǎi̯.nɔː/ → /ˈɛ.no/ → /ˈe.no/

• (5^th BCE Attic) IPA^(key): /ǎi̯.nɔː/
• (1^st CE Egyptian) IPA^(key): /ˈɛ.no/
• (4^th CE Koine) IPA^(key): /ˈɛ.no/
• (10^th CE Byzantine) IPA^(key): /ˈe.no/
• (15^th CE Constantinopolitan) IPA^(key): /ˈe.no/

Suffix

-αίνω • (-aínō)

1. Forms mostly stative verbs from nominal stems in -ᾰν- (-an-) plus Proto-Indo-European verbal suffixes *-yeti or *-yéti

   ‎ἄφρων (áphrōn, “foolish”) + ‎-αίνω (-aínō) → ‎ἀφραίνω (aphraínō, “to be foolish”)

   ‎ποιμέν- (poimén-, “herdsman”) + ‎-αίνω (-aínō) → ‎ποιμαίνω (poimaínō, “to herd (< to be a herdsman)”) (< *poh₂imn̥yeti)

2. Later, forms mostly factitive verbs from nouns with original n-stem

   ‎ὀνόματ- (onómat-, “name”) + ‎-αίνω (-aínō) → ‎ὀνομαίνω (onomaínō, “to name”) (< *h₃nomn̥yeti)

   ‎σήματ- (sḗmat-, “sign”) + ‎-αίνω (-aínō) → ‎σημαίνω (sēmaínō, “to signify”) (< *dʰyeh₂mn̥yeti)

   ‎πήματ- (pḗmat-, “misery, calamity”) + ‎-αίνω (-aínō) → ‎πημαίνω (pēmaínō, “to put in ruin”) (< *peh₁mn̥yeti)

3. Then added to liquid consonant adjective stems
4. Then added to other nominal stems such as o-stem adjectives

   ‎λευκός (leukós, “white”) + ‎-αίνω (-aínō) → ‎λευκαίνω (leukaínō, “to make white”)

   ‎χαλεπός (khalepós, “hard, angry”) + ‎-αίνω (-aínō) → ‎χαλεπαίνω (khalepaínō, “to be angry”)

Derived terms

Ancient Greek terms suffixed with -αίνω

Related terms

• -αλέος (-aléos)
• -όω (-óō)
• -ῡ́νω (-ū́nō)

References

• Smyth, Herbert Weir (1920) “Part III: Formation of Words”, in A Greek grammar for colleges, Cambridge: American Book Company, § 866.7
• Elizabeth Tucker (1981) “GREEK FACTITIVE VERBS IN -oω, -oω AND-vω”, in Transactions of the Philological Society‎^[1], volume 79, number 1, →DOI, →ISSN, pages 23-24

Greek

Etymology

Inherited from Ancient Greek -αίνω (-aínō).

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ˈe.no/
• Hyphenation: -αί‧νω

Suffix

-αίνω • (-aíno)

1. usually produces verbs indicating acquisition of a property

   ‎ζεστός (zestós, “hot”) + ‎-αίνω (-aíno) → ‎ζεσταίνω (zestaíno, “to get hot”)

   ‎άρρωστος (árrostos, “ill”) + ‎-αίνω (-aíno) → ‎αρρωσταίνω (arrostaíno, “to be taken ill”)

Derived terms

• Category:Greek verb conjugation group '-αίνω'

Greek terms suffixed with -αίνω

Further reading

• -αίνω, in Λεξικό της κοινής νεοελληνικής [Dictionary of Standard Modern Greek], Triantafyllidis Foundation, 1998 at the Centre for the Greek language
• -αίνω - Georgakas, Demetrius, 1908-1990 (1960-2009) A Modern Greek-English Dictionary [MGED online, 2009. letter α only (abbreviations)], Centre for the Greek language