δέχομαι

Forms

δέχομαι (dékhomai) ^[1]

Etymology

It is inherited from Proto-Indo-European *deḱ- (“to take, accept”).^[1][2][3] The older form is δέκομαι (dékomai), kept in Ionic, Aeolic and Cretan; the Attic ⟨χ⟩ probably arose in forms with -γμ- where the consonant was ambiguous.^[2][4] The same root gives δοκέω (dokéō, “to seem, think”), and outside Greek Latin decet (“it is fitting”) with decus (“honour”), dignus (“worthy”) and doceō (“to teach”), so Beekes suggests that δέκομαι first meant “to consider something fitting”.^[2][4][5] The link with δεξιός (dexiós, “right”) is possible.^[5][2]

Earliest recorded meaning

It is already Mycenaean: tablets from Knossos and Pylos have the aorist Mycenaean Greek de-ka-sa-to, “received”.^[2][6][4] In Homer it means to receive what is offered (Iliad 1.20), to welcome a guest, and, in its athematic and perfect forms, to wait for an attacker.^[7][8]

Semantic evolution

Homer and the classical writers use it for receiving a gift, a visitor or offerings, and of a river or harbour receiving water or a fleet.^[7] From this came accepting an omen, an oracle, a proposal or a fate, believing a statement, and, with an infinitive, consenting or choosing to do something.^[7] Mycenaean names already have the compounding element -δόκος, as in Mycenaean Greek ra-wo-do-ko, Homeric Λαόδοκος.^[2] Its many derivatives include δοχή (dokhḗ, “reception”), δοκός (dokós, “beam”) and compounds such as διάδοχος (diádokhos, “successor”).^[2][5]

Today Modern Greek δέχομαι (déchomai) continues the ancient verb.^[9][5]

Timeline

• Mycenaean – Linear B tablets from Knossos and Pylos have the aorist de-ka-sa-to.^[6][2][4]
• Homer – The Iliad uses it for receiving what is offered and for awaiting an attacker.^[7][8]
• 5th century BC – Herodotus uses it of a river receiving tributaries and of accepting an oracle.^[7][4]
• 5th century BC – Thucydides uses it for accepting an alliance or orders.^[7][4]
• 2nd century BC – Polybius uses it for taking on an expense.^[7][4]
• Modern Greek – It survives as δέχομαι.^[9][5]

Meanings

Verb

1. To receive, accept, take what is offered.^[7][10]
2. To receive a visitor; to welcome; the participle means a host.^[7]
3. To accept an event, an omen, a judgement or a proposal.^[7]
4. To take on a task or an expense.^[7]
5. To listen to someone's words; to hear a cry.^[7]
6. To accept as true, believe.^[7]
7. To agree, consent, choose to do something; to prefer.^[7]
8. (epic, athematic and perfect forms) To wait for, await an attacker.^[7]

Word family

• δοχή (dokhḗ)
• δοκός (dokós)
• δεκτός (dektós)
• δωροδόκος (dōrodókos)
• ἀποδέχομαι (apodékhomai)
• ὑποδέχομαι (hupodékhomai)
• διαδέχομαι (diadékhomai)
• διάδοχος (diádokhos)

Related words

• δοκέω (dokéō)
• Latin decet

References

1. ^ a b c d e Wiktionary, the free dictionary, https://en.wiktionary.org
2. ^ a b c d e f g h Beekes, Robert S. P. (2010), Etymological Dictionary of Greek, with the assistance of Lucien van Beek, Leiden Indo-European Etymological Dictionary Series 10, Leiden; Boston: Brill
3. ^ Rix, Helmut, et al. (2001), Lexikon der indogermanischen Verben, 2nd ed., Wiesbaden: Reichert
4. ^ a b c d e f g Rodríguez Adrados, Francisco, et al., eds. (1980–), Diccionario Griego-Español, Madrid: CSIC, http://dge.cchs.csic.es/xdge
5. ^ a b c d e Babiniotis, Georgios (2010), Ετυμολογικό λεξικό της νέας ελληνικής γλώσσας [Etymological Dictionary of Modern Greek], Athens: Κέντρο Λεξικολογίας
6. ^ a b Микенско-русский словарь (Mycenaean–Russian dictionary)
7. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o Diggle, James, et al., eds. (2021), The Cambridge Greek Lexicon, Cambridge: Cambridge University Press
8. ^ a b Keersmaekers, Alek (2021–2025), GLAUx: The Greek Language Automated corpus, https://github.com/alekkeersmaekers/glaux
9. ^ a b Ινστιτούτο Νεοελληνικών Σπουδών (Ίδρυμα Μανόλη Τριανταφυλλίδη) (1998), Λεξικό της κοινής νεοελληνικής, Thessaloniki: Aristotle University of Thessaloniki
10. ^ Liddell, Henry George; Scott, Robert; Jones, Henry Stuart (1940), A Greek-English Lexicon, 9th ed., Oxford: Clarendon Press