ἄφνω

Ancient Greek

Alternative forms

• ἄφνως (áphnōs)

Etymology

Related to ἐξαίφνης (exaíphnēs), αἴφνης (aíphnēs, “suddenly”), ἐξᾰπίνης (exapínēs, “id”), of uncertain origin. One theory derives the word from Proto-Indo-European *h₂egʷʰ-, shared with Sanskrit अह्नाय (ahnāya, “instantly, at once”). However, Beekes, noting the π/φ variation in the word's relatives, suggests Pre-Greek origin.

Pronunciation

 

• IPA^(key): /á.pʰnɔː/ → /ˈa.ɸno/ → /ˈa.fno/

• (5^th BCE Attic) IPA^(key): /á.pʰnɔː/
• (1^st CE Egyptian) IPA^(key): /ˈa.pʰno/
• (4^th CE Koine) IPA^(key): /ˈa.ɸno/
• (10^th CE Byzantine) IPA^(key): /ˈa.fno/
• (15^th CE Constantinopolitan) IPA^(key): /ˈa.fno/

Adverb

ἄφνω • (áphnō)

1. unawares, of a sudden
2. suddenly, unexpectedly

Further reading

• ἄφνω in Bailly, Anatole (1935) Le Grand Bailly: Dictionnaire grec-français, Paris: Hachette
• ἄφνω in the Diccionario Griego–Español en línea (2006–2024)
• “ἄφνω”, in ΛΟΓΕΙΟΝ [Logeion] (in English, French, Spanish, German, Dutch and Chinese), University of Chicago, 2011
• “ἄφνω”, in Liddell & Scott (1940) A Greek–English Lexicon, Oxford: Clarendon Press
• G869 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.
  • suddenly idem, page 835.
  • unexpectedly idem, page 917.