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δίφθογγος

Etymology and origin of the Ancient Greek word δίφθογγος

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Confidence
Established
Formation
Compound
First attested
2nd–1st century BC, Dionysius Thrax
Ultimate origin
Ancient Greek (φθόγγος)
Etymology tree
inherited borrowed derived
Ancient Greek δίφθογγος
English diphthong

Pronunciation

  • IPA (4th-century AD Koine): /ˈðiɸ.θoŋ.ɡos/[1]
  • IPA (10th-century Byzantine): /ˈðif.θoŋ.ɡos/[1]

Forms

δῐ́φθογγος (díphthongos) m or f (neuter δῐ́φθογγον); second declension[1]

Etymology

It is formed from δι- (di-, “two”) and φθόγγος (phthóngos, “sound”): “having two sounds”.[1]

Earliest recorded meaning

The grammar of Dionysius Thrax uses the feminine as a noun for a diphthong.[2][3]

Semantic evolution

Grammarians and writers on style such as Demetrius, Apollonius Dyscolus and Aristides Quintilianus used it for a diphthong, a combination of two vowels in one syllable.[3][4] Herodian has a neuter form.[3][2] Tzetzes uses the adjective “with two sounds”.[2][3] Theodore Prodromos uses it jokingly for a word repeated twice.[5]

Modern Greek δίφθογγος (dífthongos) is a learned word for a diphthong, used in both genders, the masculine adapted to the spoken language.[4]

Timeline

  • 2nd–1st century BC – Dionysius Thrax uses it for a diphthong.[2][3]
  • 2nd century AD – Apollonius Dyscolus uses it.[2][3]
  • 2nd century AD – Herodian uses a neuter form.[2][3]
  • 12th century – Theodore Prodromos uses it for a word said twice.[5]

Meanings

Noun

  1. (grammar) A diphthong.[2][3]

Adjective

  1. Having two sounds; diphthongal.[2][1]

Word family

  • διφθογγογραφέω (diphthongographéō)
  • δίφθογγον (díphthongon)
  • διφθογγόομαι (diphthongóomai)

References

  1. ^ a b c d e Wiktionary, the free dictionary, https://en.wiktionary.org
  2. ^ a b c d e f g h Liddell, Henry George; Scott, Robert; Jones, Henry Stuart (1940), A Greek-English Lexicon, 9th ed., Oxford: Clarendon Press
  3. ^ a b c d e f g h Rodríguez Adrados, Francisco, et al., eds. (1980–), Diccionario Griego-Español, Madrid: CSIC, http://dge.cchs.csic.es/xdge
  4. ^ a b Ινστιτούτο Νεοελληνικών Σπουδών (Ίδρυμα Μανόλη Τριανταφυλλίδη) (1998), Λεξικό της κοινής νεοελληνικής, Thessaloniki: Aristotle University of Thessaloniki
  5. ^ a b Kriaras, Emmanuel, Επιτομή του Λεξικού της μεσαιωνικής ελληνικής δημώδους γραμματείας 1100–1669, Κέντρο Ελληνικής Γλώσσας, https://www.greek-language.gr

Descendants

Cite this entry

“Δίφθογγος.” Etymologically, 15 Oct. 2026, etymologically.com/grc/%CE%B4%CE%AF%CF%86%CE%B8%CE%BF%CE%B3%CE%B3%CE%BF%CF%82. Accessed 15 Oct. 2026.

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