φύσις Ancient Greek · revision 15444

+ {{infobox|confidence=established|formation=inherited|attested=Homer, Odyssey|origins=ine-pro *bʰuH-tís}}

+

+ ==Pronunciation==

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

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

+ * IPA (10th-century Byzantine): /ˈfy.sis/^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Forms==

+ '''φῠ́σῐς''' (phúsis) ''f'' (genitive φῠ́σεως); third declension^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Etymology==

+ It is [[inh|ine-pro|*bʰuH-tís]], an action noun of the root of [[m|grc|φύω|tr=phúō|t=to bring forth, grow]], with the suffix [[m|grc|-σις|tr=-sis]].^(Wiktionary) Cognate with [[sa|भूति|tr=bhūtí|t=existence, power]] and [[sla-pro|*bytь|t=essence]].^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Earliest recorded meaning==

+ Homer uses it only once, in the ''Odyssey'' (10.303), for the physical nature of a thing.^(CGL 2021)^(GLAUx)

+

+ ==Semantic evolution==

+ Empedocles uses it for origin and coming into being, and Plato and Aristotle say that φύσις is meant to signify “genesis”.^(LSJ 1940) For persons it was birth, so that a father “by nature” differed from an adoptive one.^(LSJ 1940) The Hippocratic writers used it for growth.^(LSJ 1940) From Aeschylus on it meant a person's physique and appearance, and in Pindar one's innate disposition and character;^(CGL 2021) Thucydides speaks of “human nature”.^(CGL 2021)

+

+ Heraclitus, Plato and Xenophon used it for the inherent character of a thing, and φύσει meant “by nature, intrinsically”.^(CGL 2021) It became the natural order of things, set against human convention.^(CGL 2021) In the New Testament, Galatians 2:15 has “we who are Jews by nature”, that is by birth.^(BDAG 2000) The modern form is [[el|φύση|tr=físi]].^(Πάπυρος)

+

+ ==Timeline==

+ * Homer – The ''Odyssey'' uses it once.^(CGL 2021)^(GLAUx)

+ * 6th–5th century BC – Pindar uses it for innate character;^(CGL 2021) Aeschylus for appearance.^(CGL 2021)^(DGE)

+ * 5th century BC – Empedocles uses it for origin;^(LSJ 1940) Thucydides speaks of human nature.^(LSJ 1940)^(CGL 2021)^(DGE)

+ * 4th century BC – Aristotle defines it as genesis.^(LSJ 1940)^(DGE)

+ * 1st century AD – Paul uses it for birth or descent.^(BDAG 2000)

+

+ ==Meanings==

+ ===Noun===

+ # Origin, [[m|en|birth]].^(LSJ 1940)^(Wiktionary)

+ # [[m|en|growth|alt=Growth]].^(LSJ 1940)

+ # Physique, appearance, [[m|en|form]].^(CGL 2021)^(Wiktionary)

+ # Inherent character, [[m|en|nature]], quality.^(CGL 2021)^(Wiktionary)

+ # Innate disposition, temperament; human nature.^(CGL 2021)

+ # The natural order of things, nature, as opposed to convention.^(CGL 2021)

+ # A kind, type; a creature.^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Word family==

+ * [[ἀπόφυσις|tr=apóphusis]]

+ * [[ἔκφυσις|tr=ékphusis]]

+ * [[πρόσφυσις|tr=prósphusis]]

+ * [[σύμφυσις|tr=súmphusis]]

+ * [[φυσικός|tr=phusikós]]

+ * [[ἀνάφυσις|tr=anáphusis]]

+ * [[διάφυσις|tr=diáphusis]]

+ * [[ἔμφυσις|tr=émphusis]]

+ * [[κατάφυσις|tr=katáphusis]]

+ * [[παράφυσις|tr=paráphusis]]

+ * [[περίφυσις|tr=períphusis]]

+ * [[πρόφυσις|tr=próphusis]]

+ * [[ὑπόφυσις|tr=hupóphusis]]

+

+ ==References==

+ {{reflist}}