ἅπαξ

Forms

ᾰ̔́πᾰξ (hápax) ^[1]

Etymology

It is from Ancient Greek ἁ- (ha-) + -παξ (-pax): the first part is *sm̥- (“one”), the zero grade of Proto-Indo-European *sem- (“one”) (as in εἷς (heîs, “one”) and ἅμα (háma, “together”)), and the second belongs to πήγνυμι (pḗgnumi, “to fix, make solid”), from Proto-Indo-European *peh₂ǵ- (“to make firm”), with the adverbial -s.^[2][3] Babiniotis mentions the idea that it first meant “with one stroke”.^[4]

Wiktionary finds the second part obscure and mentions a shortening of *sm̥-pn̥kʷu- (“all one”), compared with Latin cūnctus (“all”).^[1]

Earliest recorded meaning

Its first record is in the Odyssey, which contrasts the “twice-dying” with other men, who die only once.^[5][3][6]

Semantic evolution

In Classical Greek it means “once, once only”, and also “once and for all”, “at once”: a speaker in the Odyssey would rather lose his life once and for all than waste away slowly.^[3][5] With a participle it means “once that”, as in Aeschylus' line that once a man has died there is no rising again.^[3] “Once more” is an expression of Aeschylus, and Herodotus has “once a year”.^[3][5] Plato uses it in arithmetic, of multiplying by one.^[3][5]

Grammarians used it of words found only once in Greek literature, as in a papyrus of the 7th century AD; from this comes the phrase ἅπαξ λεγόμενον (hápax legómenon, “said once”).^[3][1] In the Epistle to the Hebrews it is said of Christ, offered once.^[7]

Modern Greek άπαξ (ápax) is a learned word; in popular use it also means “since, seeing that”.^[8][9]

Timeline

• Homer – The Odyssey uses it for dying only once.^[5][3]
• 6th–5th century BC – Aeschylus uses it with a participle and in “once more”.^[3][5]
• 5th century BC – Herodotus uses it with a genitive, “once a year”.^[3][5]
• 4th century BC – Plato uses it in arithmetic, “multiplied by one”.^[3][5]
• New Testament – The Epistle to the Hebrews uses it of Christ, offered once.^[7]
• 7th century AD – A papyrus uses it of words found only once in an author.^[3]

Meanings

Adverb

1. Once, only one time; with a genitive, once in a period of time.^[3][5][7]
2. Once and for all, definitively.^[3][5]
3. (with a participle) Once that, as soon as.^[3]
4. (mathematics) Multiplied by one.^[3][5]
5. (grammar) Of words found only once in the literature.^[3]
6. (late) At some time, ever.^[3]

Related words

• εἷς (heîs)
• πήγνυμι (pḗgnumi)

Usage notes

The phrase ἅπαξ λεγόμενον (hápax legómenon) “said once”, with the passive participle of λέγω (légō), names a word recorded only once.^[1]

References

1. ^ a b c d e f g 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 d e f g h i j k l m n o p q r Rodríguez Adrados, Francisco, et al., eds. (1980–), Diccionario Griego-Español, Madrid: CSIC, http://dge.cchs.csic.es/xdge
4. ^ Babiniotis, Georgios (2010), Ετυμολογικό λεξικό της νέας ελληνικής γλώσσας [Etymological Dictionary of Modern Greek], Athens: Κέντρο Λεξικολογίας
5. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k Liddell, Henry George; Scott, Robert; Jones, Henry Stuart (1940), A Greek-English Lexicon, 9th ed., Oxford: Clarendon Press
6. ^ Keersmaekers, Alek (2021–2025), GLAUx: The Greek Language Automated corpus, https://github.com/alekkeersmaekers/glaux
7. ^ 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
8. ^ Ινστιτούτο Νεοελληνικών Σπουδών (Ίδρυμα Μανόλη Τριανταφυλλίδη) (1998), Λεξικό της κοινής νεοελληνικής, Thessaloniki: Aristotle University of Thessaloniki
9. ^ Kriaras, Emmanuel, Επιτομή του Λεξικού της μεσαιωνικής ελληνικής δημώδους γραμματείας 1100–1669, Κέντρο Ελληνικής Γλώσσας, https://www.greek-language.gr