φυγή

Forms

φῠγή (phugḗ) f (genitive φῠγῆς); first declension^[1] Doric φυγά (phugā́).^[2]

Etymology

It is inherited from Proto-Hellenic *pʰugā́, inherited from Proto-Indo-European *bʰugéh₂, an action noun with the zero grade of *bʰewg- (“to flee”), the root of φεύγω (pheúgō, “to flee”) and its aorist φυγεῖν (phugeîn).^[3][1]

It matches Latin fuga (“flight”) exactly; other cognates are fugiō (“to flee”) and Lithuanian bū́gti (“to be frightened”).^[3]

Earliest recorded meaning

It is first found in the Odyssey, for flight from danger: two men dart off “in flight”, and there is “no defence and no flight”.^[4][2]

Semantic evolution

In Herodotus and Xenophon it is flight in battle, and the dative was used as an adverb, “in hasty flight”, by Sophocles and Euripides.^[4] It also meant avoidance of something: Aeschylus has the escape from a marriage, and Epicurus sets avoidance against choice.^[4][2] The tragedians use it for a means of escape.^[2]

From Theognis and Aeschylus on it is enforced flight from one's country, exile: in Plato's Apology exile is weighed as a penalty, and the orators speak of condemning someone to exile.^[4][2] Used collectively it meant a body of exiles, in Aeschylus, Thucydides and Xenophon.^[4][2] Diodorus has it for a place of refuge and the Hippocratic writers for the slipping of a bandage.^[4]

The New Testament uses it for flight.^[5][4] Modern Greek φυγή (fygí) is a learned word for flight and escape, with senses taken from French fuite.^[6]

Timeline

• Homer – The Odyssey uses it for flight from danger.^[4][2]
• 6th century BC – Theognis uses it for exile.^[2]
• 6th–5th century BC – Aeschylus uses it for avoiding a marriage, for banishment and for a band of refugees.^[4][2]
• 5th century BC – Herodotus uses it for flight in battle and for self-imposed exile.^[4]
• 5th century BC – Thucydides uses it for a body of exiles.^[4][2]
• 5th century BC – The Hippocratic writers use it for the slipping of a bandage.^[4]
• 4th century BC – Aristotle uses it for the avoidance of pain.^[2]
• 1st century AD – The Gospel of Matthew uses it for flight.^[4][5]
• Modern Greek – The learned φυγή (fygí) means flight and escape.^[6]

Meanings

Noun

1. Flight, especially in battle; escape.^[4][2][5]
2. Avoidance of something.^[4][2]
3. A means of escape from something; a place of refuge.^[4][2]
4. Banishment, exile.^[4][2]
5. A body of exiles or refugees.^[4][2]
6. (medicine) The slipping of a bandage.^[4]

Word family

• φύγαδε (phúgade)

Related words

• φυγάς (phugás)
• φεύγω (pheúgō)
• Latin fuga

References

1. ^ a b c d e Wiktionary, the free dictionary, https://en.wiktionary.org
2. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p Diggle, James, et al., eds. (2021), The Cambridge Greek Lexicon, Cambridge: Cambridge University Press
3. ^ a b 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
4. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p q r s Liddell, Henry George; Scott, Robert; Jones, Henry Stuart (1940), A Greek-English Lexicon, 9th ed., Oxford: Clarendon Press
5. ^ a b c Bauer, Walter; Danker, Frederick W., et al. (2000), A Greek-English Lexicon of the New Testament and Other Early Christian Literature, 3rd ed., Chicago: University of Chicago Press
6. ^ a b Ινστιτούτο Νεοελληνικών Σπουδών (Ίδρυμα Μανόλη Τριανταφυλλίδη) (1998), Λεξικό της κοινής νεοελληνικής, Thessaloniki: Aristotle University of Thessaloniki