ἀδύνατος

Forms

ᾰ̓δῠ́νᾰτος (adúnatos) m or f (neuter ᾰ̓δῠ́νᾰτον); second declension^[1]

Etymology

It is formed from Ancient Greek ἀ- (a-, “not”) + δυνατός (dunatós, “able, possible”),^[1] the adjective being from δύναμαι (dúnamai, “to be able”) with the verbal suffix -τός (-tós).^[1] Beekes analyses the verb as a present with a generalized nasal infix (⟨δύ-ν-α-μαι⟩) and reports LIV's root Proto-Indo-European *dewh₂- (“to join together”), but leaves the origin open.^[2]

Earliest recorded meaning

Pindar's second Pythian ode calls something impossible, and Epicharmus uses it of someone unable to keep silent.^[3][4][5]

Semantic evolution

Of persons it means unable to do something (Herodotus, Euripides) and, without a complement, weak or without strength (Herodotus, Euripides, Lysias).^[4][5] At Athens οἱ ἀδύνατοι were the disabled citizens who received public relief, as in the title of Lysias' 24th speech and in Aristotle's Constitution of the Athenians.^[4][5] It also means poor (Thucydides), of no power or importance (islands, a city), and of a ship, disabled, while Polybius uses it of barren land.^[4][5] Attic curse tablets ask for enemies to be made powerless.^[5]

Of things it means impossible, from Pindar and Euripides on, and Democritus speaks of hopes that cannot be fulfilled.^[4][5] In Aristotle's logic the reduction to the impossible is ἡ εἰς τὸ ἀδύνατον ἀπαγωγή.^[4] In the New Testament it describes a man unable to use his feet, the weak in faith, and what is impossible for people but not for God.^[6][5]

Modern Greek αδύνατος (adýnatos) continues it, meaning weak, thin, impossible, and poor at a subject.^[7]

Timeline

• 6th–5th century BC – Pindar uses it for “impossible”, and Epicharmus of a person unable to keep silent.^[3][5][4]
• 5th century BC – Herodotus uses it of weak men and disabled ships.^[4][5]
• 5th–4th century BC – Lysias uses it of the disabled citizens on public relief.^[4][5]
• 4th century BC – Aristotle names the reduction to the impossible.^[4]
• 2nd century BC – Polybius uses it of barren land.^[5]
• 1st century AD – The Acts of the Apostles uses it of a man unable to use his feet.^[6][5]
• Modern Greek – αδύνατος (adýnatos) means weak, thin or impossible.^[7]

Meanings

Adjective

1. Of persons, unable, incapable (with an infinitive).^[4][5]
2. Without strength, weak, sickly; of a ship, disabled; of land, barren.^[4][5]
3. (Athens) Disabled, unfit for military service or work, as in οἱ ἀδύνατοι, the invalids on public relief.^[4][5]
4. Without power or importance, as in ἀδύνατος χρήμασι, poor.^[5][4]
5. Of things, impossible, as in τὸ ἀδύνατον, the impossible, and ἀδύνατόν ἐστι with an infinitive, it is impossible to.^[4][5][3]
6. (logic) ἡ εἰς τὸ ἀδύνατον ἀπαγωγή, the reductio ad impossibile.^[4]
7. (New Testament) Weak in faith.^[6][5]

Related words

• δυνατός (dunatós)
• δύναμαι (dúnamai)
• δύναμις (dúnamis)

Usage notes

Euripides' Helen says that attempting the impossible is not the mark of a wise man, and a proverb, ἀδύνατα θηρᾷς, “you are hunting the impossible”, is recorded.^[5]

References

1. ^ a b c d e f Wiktionary, the free dictionary, https://en.wiktionary.org
2. ^ 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. ^ a b c Slater, William J. (1969), Lexicon to Pindar, Berlin: De Gruyter
4. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p Liddell, Henry George; Scott, Robert; Jones, Henry Stuart (1940), A Greek-English Lexicon, 9th ed., Oxford: Clarendon Press
5. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p q r s Rodríguez Adrados, Francisco, et al., eds. (1980–), Diccionario Griego-Español, Madrid: CSIC, http://dge.cchs.csic.es/xdge
6. ^ 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
7. ^ a b Ινστιτούτο Νεοελληνικών Σπουδών (Ίδρυμα Μανόλη Τριανταφυλλίδη) (1998), Λεξικό της κοινής νεοελληνικής, Thessaloniki: Aristotle University of Thessaloniki