γράφω Ancient Greek · revision 15423

+ {{infobox|confidence=established|formation=inherited|attested=Homer, Iliad|origins=ine-pro *gerbʰ-}}

+

+ ==Pronunciation==

+ * IPA (5th-century BC Attic): /ɡrá.pʰɔː/^(Wiktionary)

+ * IPA (4th-century AD Koine): /ˈɣra.ɸo/^(Wiktionary)

+ * IPA (10th-century Byzantine): /ˈɣra.fo/^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Forms==

+ '''γρᾰ́φω''' (gráphō) ^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Etymology==

+ It is [[inh|grk-pro|*grə́pʰō]], [[inh|ine-pro|*gr̥bʰ-é-ti]], from [[m|ine-pro|*gerbʰ-|t=to scratch, carve]].^(Wiktionary)^(LIV 2001) The LIV classes it, with [[ang|ċeorfan|t=to cut, carve]], as a root present.^(LIV 2001) Greek levelled the root to its zero grade early; only the mainly Doric forms [[m|grc|γροφά|tr=grophá]] and the Melian present [[m|grc|γρόφω|tr=gróphō]] keep an /o/ that may be an old full grade.^(Frisk 1960)^(Beekes 2010)

+

+ Cognate with [[cu|жрѣбии|tr=žrěbii|t=lot]], perhaps originally a notched stick.^(Frisk 1960) The development from “scratch” to “write” is common: Latin [[m|la|scrībō]] and many other Indo-European verbs for writing began the same way.^(Πάπυρος)

+

+ ==Earliest recorded meaning==

+ Homer uses only the aorist, meaning to scratch or graze: a spear-point grazed a man to the bone (''Iliad'' 17.599).^(LSJ 1940)^(CGL 2021) In ''Iliad'' 6.169 it is used of signs marked on a folded tablet.^(LSJ 1940)

+

+ ==Semantic evolution==

+ From the 6th century BC it means to draw or paint: Hipponax and Herodotus use it of figures, and Herodotus of maps of the world.^(CGL 2021)^(LSJ 1940) Writing and inscribing letters became its main sense from Herodotus on.^(CGL 2021) At Athens it was used for proposing a decree in writing, and the middle [[m|grc|γράφομαι|tr=gráphomai]] meant to indict someone.^(LSJ 1940)^(CGL 2021)^(Wiktionary) Mathematicians used it for drawing a figure.^(LSJ 1940)

+

+ The New Testament uses it for writing in all its forms.^(BDAG 2000) Medieval Greek kept the senses to write, to carve an inscription and to paint.^(Kriaras) In Modern Greek ''γράφω'' also means to be a writer, to bequeath property in a will, and is said of a pen that writes well.^(Πάπυρος)^(Triantafyllidis 1998)

+

+ ==Timeline==

+ * Homer – The ''Iliad'' uses the aorist for grazing with a spear and for marking signs.^(LSJ 1940)

+ * 6th century BC – Hipponax uses it for painting.^(CGL 2021)^(DGE)

+ * 5th century BC – Herodotus uses it for drawing maps and for writing.^(CGL 2021)^(LSJ 1940)^(DGE)

+ * 4th–3rd century BC – Euclid uses it for describing a figure.^(LSJ 1940)^(DGE)

+ * 1st century AD – The New Testament uses it for writing.^(BDAG 2000)

+ * Modern Greek – ''γράφω'' still means to write.^(Triantafyllidis 1998)

+

+ ==Meanings==

+ ===Verb===

+ # To [[m|en|scratch]], [[m|en|graze]].^(LSJ 1940)^(CGL 2021)

+ # To [[m|en|draw]], [[m|en|paint]], represent by lines.^(LSJ 1940)^(CGL 2021)

+ # To [[m|en|write]], inscribe.^(LSJ 1940)^(CGL 2021)

+ # To propose (a law or decree) in writing.^(LSJ 1940)^(CGL 2021)

+ # ''(middle)'' To [[m|en|indict]], prosecute.^(CGL 2021)^(Wiktionary)

+ # ''(mathematics)'' To describe a figure.^(LSJ 1940)

+

+ ==Word family==

+ * [[ἀναγράφω|tr=anagráphō]]

+ * [[ἀντεγγράφω|tr=antengráphō]]

+ * [[ἀντεπιγράφω|tr=antepigráphō]]

+ * [[ἀντιγράφω|tr=antigráphō]]

+ * [[ἀπογράφω|tr=apográphō]]

+ * [[γράμμα|tr=grámma]]

+ * [[γραμματεῖον|tr=grammateîon]]

+ * [[γραμματικός|tr=grammatikós]]

+ * [[γραμμή|tr=grammḗ]]

+ * [[γραφεύς|tr=grapheús]]

+ * [[γραφή|tr=graphḗ]]

+ * [[διαγράφω|tr=diagráphō]]

+ * [[ἐγγράφω|tr=engráphō]]

+ * [[εἰσγράφω|tr=eisgráphō]]

+

+ ==Related words==

+ * [[en|carve]]

+

+ ==References==

+ {{reflist}}