Ancient Greek words first recorded in the 6th century BC

The origin is uncertain. Beekes regards it as probably a Greek innovation beside the inherited words for the neck, αὐχήν (aukhḗn) and δέρη (dérē). Formally it suggests a link with τρέχω (trékhō, “to…

It is a compound from Ancient Greek τρι- (tri-, “three”) + ἐρέτης (erétēs, “rower”), literally a “three-rower” (ship). The second part keeps a trace of the old verb “to row”, Proto-Indo-European…

It is from Ancient Greek τύπτω (túptō, “to strike, beat”). The verb is built on the Indo-European root Proto-Indo-European *(s)tewp- (“to push, beat”), as in Latin stupeō (“to be stunned”) and…

Beekes considers it a loanword from a Mediterranean language, from Pre-Greek, following Kretschmer, and lists it among the Pre-Greek words for buildings. Frisk also takes it, like Latin turris, from…

It is formed from Ancient Greek ὑποκρίνομαι (hupokrínomai, “to answer; to play a part”) + -σις (-sis). The verb is made of ὑπό (hupó, “under”) and the middle of κρίνω (krínō, “to sift, decide”)…

Its origin is unknown. It has often been compared with Lithuanian spingė́ti (“to glitter, give a weak light”), Old English spincan (“to spark”) and Old High German funko (“spark”), from an…

It is formed from Ancient Greek φέρω (phérō, “to bring, carry”) + -νή (-nḗ), the nasal suffix: “what is brought”. The same suffix is found in Old Armenian բեռն (beṙn, “burden”), Lithuanian bernas…

It is inherited from Proto-Hellenic *pʰléwō, probably from Proto-Indo-European *bʰlewH- (“to overflow”). Its present, aorist and perfect go together like those of πλέω (pléō, “to sail”), and the…

It is inherited from Proto-Hellenic *pʰrā́tēr, inherited from Proto-Indo-European *bʰréh₂tēr (“brother”), the Indo-European word for “brother”. Cognate with Latin frāter, Old High German bruoder and…

It is inherited from Proto-Hellenic *pʰṓr, inherited from Proto-Indo-European *bʰṓr, an old agent noun with lengthened grade, literally “bearer”, from Proto-Indo-European *bʰer- (“to carry”), the…

It is probably from ⟨*χάϝος⟩, beside χαῦνος (khaûnos, “loose, porous”), in the same relation as ἔρεβος (érebos) to ἐρεμνός (eremnós). Its first meaning would then have been “hole, empty space…

It is formed from Ancient Greek χαράσσω (kharássō, “to scratch, engrave”) + -τήρ (-tḗr), the agent suffix. Mycenaean has a related form, Mycenaean Greek ka-ra-ka-te-ra.

It is inherited from Proto-Indo-European *dʰǵʰyés (“yesterday”), an old adverb of time. Its initial ⟨χθ⟩ is the same as in χθών (khthṓn, “earth”). Following Puhvel, Beekes derives the word from…

The origin is unknown. Beekes compares ψηλαφάω (psēlapháō, “to feel about, grope”) and thinks it probably Pre-Greek. Chantraine and Frisk note that it has the shape of the presents πάλλω (pállō)…

It is formed from Ancient Greek ψάλλω (psállō, “to pluck a string”) + -μός (-mós). ψάλλω (psállō) itself has no etymology and is probably Pre-Greek, according to Beekes.