ἐπικαλέω

Forms

ἐπῐκᾰλέω (epikaléō) ^[1]

Etymology

It is formed from Ancient Greek ἐπι- (epi-, “upon”) + καλέω (kaléō, “to call”).^[1][2]

Earliest recorded meaning

Its first use is in the Odyssey, with the prefix separated from the verb, of calling elders together, to summon or invite.^[3][4]

Semantic evolution

In Herodotus it is to call on a god by name, at a sacrifice or as witness to an oath, to invoke.^[3][4] The middle came to mean to call on a god, a person or an ally for help, and to invite in settlers or a foreign army.^[4][3] From “call by an added name” came the sense “surname, nickname”.^[4] In the courts it meant to bring a charge or complaint against someone.^[4]

In Roman contexts the middle was used for appealing to a magistrate or to the people, and in the Acts of the Apostles it is used of an appeal to Caesar.^[4][5] The New Testament also has it for calling on the name of the Lord and, in the passive, for persons surnamed so-and-so.^[6][5]

Medieval Greek kept it for invoking help and for being named.^[7] Modern Greek Επικαλούμαι (epikaloúmai) in Modern Greek is learned, used for citing something as an argument and for invoking.^[8][2]

Timeline

• Homer – The Odyssey uses it for summoning people.^[3]
• 5th century BC – Herodotus uses it for invoking a god.^[3][4]
• 5th century BC – Thucydides uses the middle for calling in allies.^[3][4]
• 1st century AD – The Acts of the Apostles uses it for an appeal to Caesar.^[5][4]
• 1st–2nd century AD – Plutarch uses it for appeals to Roman magistrates and the people.^[4]
• Modern Greek – επικαλούμαι (epikaloúmai) means to invoke or to cite as an argument.^[8]

Meanings

Verb

1. To call someone to a place; to summon, invite.^[3][4]
2. To call on a god by name, invoke.^[3][4]
3. (middle) To call on for help, appeal to a god or person; to call in allies.^[4][3]
4. (middle) To appeal to a magistrate, the people or the emperor.^[4][5]
5. (middle) To call as a witness; to summon before oneself.^[4]
6. To call by an added name, surname.^[4][6]
7. (law) To bring a charge or complaint against someone.^[4]

Word family

• ἐπίκλησις (epíklēsis)

Related words

• καλέω (kaléō)

References

1. ^ a b c d e Wiktionary, the free dictionary, https://en.wiktionary.org
2. ^ a b Babiniotis, Georgios (2010), Ετυμολογικό λεξικό της νέας ελληνικής γλώσσας [Etymological Dictionary of Modern Greek], Athens: Κέντρο Λεξικολογίας
3. ^ a b c d e f g h i Liddell, Henry George; Scott, Robert; Jones, Henry Stuart (1940), A Greek-English Lexicon, 9th ed., Oxford: Clarendon Press
4. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p q Diggle, James, et al., eds. (2021), The Cambridge Greek Lexicon, Cambridge: Cambridge University Press
5. ^ a b c d Abbott-Smith, G. (1922), A Manual Greek Lexicon of the New Testament, Edinburgh: T. & T. Clark
6. ^ a b 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. ^ Kriaras, Emmanuel, Επιτομή του Λεξικού της μεσαιωνικής ελληνικής δημώδους γραμματείας 1100–1669, Κέντρο Ελληνικής Γλώσσας, https://www.greek-language.gr
8. ^ a b Ινστιτούτο Νεοελληνικών Σπουδών (Ίδρυμα Μανόλη Τριανταφυλλίδη) (1998), Λεξικό της κοινής νεοελληνικής, Thessaloniki: Aristotle University of Thessaloniki