φίλος

See also: φῖλος and -φιλος

Ancient Greek

Etymology

From Proto-Hellenic *pʰílos, traditionally derived from from Proto-Indo-European *bʰil-o-s, from *bʰil- (“decent, good, harmonious, friendly”). In this case, cognate with Old Irish bil (“good, mild”) and Proto-Germanic *biliz (“kind, gentle; decent, fair”), whence Old English bile- (“kind, suitable, appropriate”, prefix), German billig (“appropriate, fitting, inexpensive, cheap”), and Dutch billijk (“appropriate”).

However, Beekes rejects the above etymology based on the original meaning of the Greek word apparently being "own, accompanying" rather than "beloved", and leaves the origin open.

Pronunciation

 

• IPA^(key): /pʰí.los/ → /ˈɸi.los/ → /ˈfi.los/

• (5^th BCE Attic) IPA^(key): /pʰí.los/
• (1^st CE Egyptian) IPA^(key): /ˈpʰi.los/
• (4^th CE Koine) IPA^(key): /ˈɸi.los/
• (10^th CE Byzantine) IPA^(key): /ˈfi.los/
• (15^th CE Constantinopolitan) IPA^(key): /ˈfi.los/

Adjective

φῐ́λος • (phílos) m (feminine φῐ́λη, neuter φῐ́λον); first/second declension

1. That which is loved or important: beloved, dear, of or from a friend
2. (less commonly): loving, friendly

Inflection

First and second declension of φῐ́λος; φῐ́λη; φῐ́λον (Attic)

Number		Singular				Dual				Plural
Case/Gender		Masculine	Feminine	Neuter		Masculine	Feminine	Neuter		Masculine	Feminine	Neuter
Nominative		φῐ́λος phílos	φῐ́λη phílē	φῐ́λον phílon		φῐ́λω phílō	φῐ́λᾱ phílā	φῐ́λω phílō		φῐ́λοι phíloi	φῐ́λαι phílai	φῐ́λᾰ phíla
Genitive		φῐ́λου phílou	φῐ́λης phílēs	φῐ́λου phílou		φῐ́λοιν phíloin	φῐ́λαιν phílain	φῐ́λοιν phíloin		φῐ́λων phílōn	φῐ́λων phílōn	φῐ́λων phílōn
Dative		φῐ́λῳ phílōi	φῐ́λῃ phílēi	φῐ́λῳ phílōi		φῐ́λοιν phíloin	φῐ́λαιν phílain	φῐ́λοιν phíloin		φῐ́λοις phílois	φῐ́λαις phílais	φῐ́λοις phílois
Accusative		φῐ́λον phílon	φῐ́λην phílēn	φῐ́λον phílon		φῐ́λω phílō	φῐ́λᾱ phílā	φῐ́λω phílō		φῐ́λους phílous	φῐ́λᾱς phílās	φῐ́λᾰ phíla
Vocative		φῐ́λε phíle	φῐ́λη phílē	φῐ́λον phílon		φῐ́λω phílō	φῐ́λᾱ phílā	φῐ́λω phílō		φῐ́λοι phíloi	φῐ́λαι phílai	φῐ́λᾰ phíla
Derived forms		Adverb				Comparative				Superlative
		φῐ́λως phílōs				φῐλώτερος philṓteros				φῐλώτᾰτος philṓtatos
Notes:		This table gives Attic inflectional endings. For declension in other dialects, see Appendix:Ancient Greek dialectal declension.

First and second declension of φῐ́λος; φῐ́λη; φῐ́λον (Epic)

Number		Singular				Dual				Plural
Case/Gender		Masculine	Feminine	Neuter		Masculine	Feminine	Neuter		Masculine	Feminine	Neuter
Nominative		φῐ́λος phílos	φῐ́λη phílē	φῐ́λον phílon		φῐ́λω phílō	φῐ́λᾱ phílā	φῐ́λω phílō		φῐ́λοι phíloi	φῐ́λαι phílai	φῐ́λᾰ phíla
Genitive		φῐ́λου / φῐλοῖο / φῐ́λοιο / φῐλόο / φῐ́λοο phílou / philoîo / phíloio / philóo / phíloo	φῐ́λης phílēs	φῐ́λου / φῐλοῖο / φῐ́λοιο / φῐλόο / φῐ́λοο phílou / philoîo / phíloio / philóo / phíloo		φῐ́λοιῐν phíloiin	φῐ́λαιν / φῐ́λαιῐν / φῐ́λῃῐν phílai(i)n / phílēiin	φῐ́λοιῐν phíloiin		φῐ́λων phílōn	φῐλᾱ́ων / φῐλέ͜ων / φῐλῶν philā́ōn / philé͜ōn / philôn	φῐ́λων phílōn
Dative		φῐ́λῳ phílōi	φῐ́λῃ phílēi	φῐ́λῳ phílōi		φῐ́λοιῐν phíloiin	φῐ́λαιν / φῐ́λαιῐν / φῐ́λῃῐν phílai(i)n / phílēiin	φῐ́λοιῐν phíloiin		φῐ́λοισῐ / φῐ́λοισῐν / φῐ́λοις phíloisi(n) / phílois	φῐ́λῃσῐ / φῐ́λῃσῐν / φῐ́λῃς / φῐ́λαις phílēisi(n) / phílēis / phílais	φῐ́λοισῐ / φῐ́λοισῐν / φῐ́λοις phíloisi(n) / phílois
Accusative		φῐ́λον phílon	φῐ́λην phílēn	φῐ́λον phílon		φῐ́λω phílō	φῐ́λᾱ phílā	φῐ́λω phílō		φῐ́λους phílous	φῐ́λᾱς phílās	φῐ́λᾰ phíla
Vocative		φῐ́λε / φῖλε phíle / phîle	φῐ́λη phílē	φῐ́λον phílon		φῐ́λω phílō	φῐ́λᾱ phílā	φῐ́λω phílō		φῐ́λοι phíloi	φῐ́λαι phílai	φῐ́λᾰ phíla
Derived forms		Adverb				Comparative				Superlative
		φῐ́λως phílōs				φῐλώτερος / φῐλίων / φίλτερος philṓteros / philíōn / phílteros				φῐλώτᾰτος / φίλτᾰτος philṓtatos / phíltatos
Notes:		Dialects other than Attic are not well attested. Some forms may be based on conjecture. Use with caution.

Derived terms

• Ἀντίφιλος (Antíphilos)
• ἀρηΐφιλος (arēḯphilos)
• Θεόφιλος (Theóphilos)
• Σώφιλος (Sṓphilos)
• φῐλέω (philéō)
• Φίλιππος (Phílippos)
• φιλο- (philo-)
• Φιλοίτιος (Philoítios)
• Φιλοκλῆς (Philoklês)
• Φιλοκράτης (Philokrátēs)
• Φιλοκτήτης (Philoktḗtēs)
• Φιλομήλη (Philomḗlē)
• Φιλοπαθώ (Philopathṓ)
• Φιλόστρατος (Philóstratos)
• φῐλότης (philótēs)
• φιλότιμος (philótimos)
• φιλῳδός (philōidós)
• φίλως (phílōs)

 

Related terms

• φῐλία (philía)
• φῖλος (phîlos)
• φιλότης (philótēs)

Descendants

• Latin: -phila

Noun

φῐ́λος • (phílos) m (genitive φῐ́λου); second declension

1. friend

Declension

Second declension of ὁ φῐ́λος; τοῦ φῐ́λου (Attic)

Case / #	Singular	Dual	Plural
Nominative	ὁ φῐ́λος ho phílos	τὼ φῐ́λω tṑ phílō	οἱ φῐ́λοι hoi phíloi
Genitive	τοῦ φῐ́λου toû phílou	τοῖν φῐ́λοιν toîn phíloin	τῶν φῐ́λων tôn phílōn
Dative	τῷ φῐ́λῳ tôi phílōi	τοῖν φῐ́λοιν toîn phíloin	τοῖς φῐ́λοις toîs phílois
Accusative	τὸν φῐ́λον tòn phílon	τὼ φῐ́λω tṑ phílō	τοὺς φῐ́λους toùs phílous
Vocative	φῐ́λε phíle	φῐ́λω phílō	φῐ́λοι phíloi
Notes:	This table gives Attic inflectional endings. For declension in other dialects, see Appendix:Ancient Greek dialectal declension.

Second declension of φῐ́λος; φῐ́λου (Epic)

Case / #	Singular	Dual	Plural
Nominative	φῐ́λος phílos	φῐ́λω phílō	φῐ́λοι phíloi
Genitive	φῐ́λου / φῐλοῖο / φῐ́λοιο / φῐλόο / φῐ́λοο phílou / philoîo / phíloio / philóo / phíloo	φῐ́λοιῐν phíloiin	φῐ́λων phílōn
Dative	φῐ́λῳ phílōi	φῐ́λοιῐν phíloiin	φῐ́λοισῐ / φῐ́λοισῐν / φῐ́λοις phíloisi(n) / phílois
Accusative	φῐ́λον phílon	φῐ́λω phílō	φῐ́λους phílous
Vocative	φῐ́λε phíle	φῐ́λω phílō	φῐ́λοι phíloi
Notes:	Dialects other than Attic are not well attested. Some forms may be based on conjecture. Use with caution.

Second declension of ὁ φῐ́λος; τοῦ φῐ́λοιο (Doric)

Case / #	Singular	Dual	Plural
Nominative	ὁ φῐ́λος ho phílos	τὼ φῐ́λω tṑ phílō	τοὶ φῐ́λοι toì phíloi
Genitive	τοῦ φῐ́λοιο toû phíloio	τοῖν φῐ́λοιν toîn phíloin	τῶν φῐ́λων tôn phílōn
Dative	τῷ φῐ́λῳ tôi phílōi	τοῖν φῐ́λοιν toîn phíloin	τοῖς φῐ́λοις toîs phílois
Accusative	τὸν φῐ́λον tòn phílon	τὼ φῐ́λω tṑ phílō	τοὺς φῐ́λους toùs phílous
Vocative	φῐ́λε phíle	φῐ́λω phílō	φῐ́λοι phíloi
Notes:	Dialects other than Attic are not well attested. Some forms may be based on conjecture. Use with caution.

Descendants

• Mariupol Greek: фи́лос (fílos)

Further reading

• “φίλος”, in Liddell & Scott (1940) A Greek–English Lexicon, Oxford: Clarendon Press
• “φίλος”, in Liddell & Scott (1889) An Intermediate Greek–English Lexicon, New York: Harper & Brothers
• “φίλος”, in Autenrieth, Georg (1891) A Homeric Dictionary for Schools and Colleges, New York: Harper and Brothers
• φίλος in Bailly, Anatole (1935) Le Grand Bailly: Dictionnaire grec-français, Paris: Hachette
• Bauer, Walter et al. (2001) A Greek–English Lexicon of the New Testament and Other Early Christian Literature, Third edition, Chicago: University of Chicago Press
• φίλος in Cunliffe, Richard J. (1924) A Lexicon of the Homeric Dialect: Expanded Edition, Norman: University of Oklahoma Press, published 1963
• “φίλος”, in Slater, William J. (1969) Lexicon to Pindar, Berlin: Walter de Gruyter
• G5384 in Strong, James (1979) Strong’s Exhaustive Concordance to the Bible
• Woodhouse, S. C. (1910) English–Greek Dictionary: A Vocabulary of the Attic Language‎^[1], London: Routledge & Kegan Paul Limited.
  • acceptable idem, page 5.
  • adherent idem, page 11.
  • adorable idem, page 13.
  • agreeable idem, page 19.
  • beloved idem, page 73.
  • cheering idem, page 129.
  • cherished idem, page 129.
  • dear idem, page 198.
  • endearing idem, page 272.
  • favourable idem, page 311.
  • friend idem, page 345.
  • friendly idem, page 345.
  • glad idem, page 360.
  • gracious idem, page 368.
  • joyful idem, page 464.
  • kind idem, page 469.
  • loved idem, page 502.
  • loving idem, page 502.
  • pleasant idem, page 619.
  • precious idem, page 634.
  • propitious idem, page 653.
  • sweet idem, page 848.
  • tender idem, page 861.
  • valued idem, page 943.
  • welcome idem, page 973.

Greek

Etymology

Inherited from Ancient Greek φίλος (phílos), probably from Proto-Hellenic *pʰílos, from Proto-Indo-European *bʰil-o-s, from *bʰil- (“decent, good, harmonious, friendly”).

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ˈfi.los/
• Hyphenation: φί‧λος

Noun

φίλος • (fílos) m (plural φίλοι, feminine φίλη)

1. friend
2. boyfriend
3. acquaintance

Declension

Declension of φίλος

	singular	plural
nominative	φίλος •	φίλοι •
genitive	φίλου •	φίλων •
accusative	φίλο •	φίλους •
vocative	φίλε •	φίλοι •

Related terms

• -φιλος (-filos)
• φίλαθλος m (fílathlos, “sports fan”)
• φιλικός (filikós, “friendly”)
• φιλικά (filiká, “in a friendly manner”, adverb)
• φιλικό n (filikó, “friendly (match)”)
• φιλοξενία f (filoxenía /⁠hospitality⁠/)
• φιλόξενος (filóxenos, “hospitable”)
• φιλοξενούμενος (filoxenoúmenos, “hospitable”)

Adjective

φίλος • (fílos) m (feminine φίλη, neuter φίλο)

1. friendly
2. dear
3. beloved (obsolete, literary)

Declension

Declension of φίλος

number  case \ gender	singular			plural
	masculine	feminine	neuter	masculine	feminine	neuter
nominative	φίλος •	φίλη •	φίλο •	φίλοι •	φίλες •	φίλα •
genitive	φίλου •	φίλης •	φίλου •	φίλων •	φίλων •	φίλων •
accusative	φίλο •	φίλη •	φίλο •	φίλους •	φίλες •	φίλα •
vocative	φίλε •	φίλη •	φίλο •	φίλοι •	φίλες •	φίλα •
derivations	Comparative: πιο + positive forms (e.g. πιο φίλος, etc.) Relative superlative: definite article + πιο + positive forms (e.g. ο πιο φίλος, etc.)