ψυχή Ancient Greek · revision 2235

+ {{infobox|confidence=probable|formation=derivation|attested=Homer, Iliad|origins=grc ψύχω}}

+

+ ==Pronunciation==

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

+ * IPA (4th-century AD Koine): /psyˈçi/^(Wiktionary)

+ * IPA (10th-century Byzantine): /psyˈçi/^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Forms==

+ '''ψῡχή''' (psūkhḗ) ''f'' (genitive ψῡχῆς); first declension^(Wiktionary)

+ Doric ψυχά.^(CGL 2021)^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Etymology==

+ It is formed from [[m|grc|ψύχω|tr=psúkhō|t=to breathe, blow]], and so first meant “breath”;^(Wiktionary)^(Frisk 1960)^(Πάπυρος)^(Etygram) compare [[πνεῦμα|tr=pneûma]] beside [[πνέω|tr=pnéō|t=to blow]], and Latin [[m|la|animus]] and [[m|la|anima]] beside Sanskrit [[m|sa|अनिति|tr=ániti|t=breathes]].^(Frisk 1960) In the sense “to blow” ψύχω gave way to πνέω and came to mean “to cool”, whence [[ψῦχος|tr=psûkhos|t=cold]] and [[ψυχρός|tr=psukhrós|t=cold]].^(Frisk 1960)^(Etygram) LSJ remarks that Homer's use of ψυχή gives little support to the derivation from “breathe”.^(LSJ 1940)

+

+ The verb itself is of uncertain origin: it may go back to Proto-Indo-European [[m|ine-pro|*bʰes-|t=to blow]], with Sanskrit [[m|sa|अप्सु|tr=ápsu|t=without breath]], though the NIL marks the connection as doubtful.^(NIL 2008) Beekes doubts an Indo-European origin and thinks it Pre-Greek.^(NIL 2008)^(Πάπυρος)^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Earliest recorded meaning==

+ In Homer it is the life of a man or animal, which leaves the body at death, breathed out or escaping through a wound, and leaves a man who faints; it is staked and lost in battle.^(CGL 2021)^(LSJ 1940)^(Cunliffe 1924) It is also the soul of the dead, which goes down to Hades as a ghost, like the living man in every way.^(LSJ 1940)^(CGL 2021)

+

+ ==Semantic evolution==

+ In lyric and tragedy it remained life, and could be used of what is dear as life: in Hesiod money is “life” to mortals, and in Euripides children are.^(LSJ 1940)^(CGL 2021) It also became the conscious self, the seat of emotions, desires and thoughts, and a person's spirit, courage and character, as in Pindar and Xenophon.^(LSJ 1940)^(CGL 2021)

+

+ The soul as immaterial and immortal is first found in Pindar.^(LSJ 1940) Herodotus reports the belief that the human soul is immortal, and an epitaph of the 5th century BC says that the upper air received the souls and the earth the bodies.^(LSJ 1940) Plato argues for the immortality of the soul in the ''Phaedo'' and the ''Phaedrus'' and speaks of a world-soul; for Heraclitus it is linked with fire, for Aristotle it is the underlying substance of living things.^(CGL 2021)^(LSJ 1940) By resemblance it named a butterfly or moth, in Aristotle and Theophrastus, and Apuleius tells the allegory of Psyche and Eros.^(LSJ 1940)

+

+ In the Septuagint it renders the Hebrew word for life, soul and self, and also a person.^(Lust 2003) The New Testament uses it for life, as in “what shall a man give in exchange for his life?” and the good shepherd who lays down his life for the sheep, and πᾶσα ψυχή, “every person”.^(LSJ 1940)^(BDAG 2000)^(UBS 2023)

+

+ Modern Greek [[m|el|ψυχή|tr=psichí]] is the soul, the spirit, the emotions and courage;^(Triantafyllidis 1998)^(Etygram) the diminutive [[m|el|ψυχάρι|tr=psychári]] means a butterfly.^(Frisk 1960)

+

+ ==Timeline==

+ * Homer – The ''Iliad'' and the ''Odyssey'' use it for life and for the souls of the dead.^(LSJ 1940)^(Cunliffe 1924)

+ * Before the 6th century BC – Hesiod calls money “life” to mortals.^(LSJ 1940)^(DGE)

+ * 6th–5th century BC – Pindar speaks of the soul as immortal.^(LSJ 1940)^(DGE)

+ * 5th century BC – An epitaph says the upper air received the souls of the dead.^(LSJ 1940)

+ * 5th–4th century BC – Plato argues for the immortality of the soul.^(LSJ 1940)^(DGE)

+ * 4th century BC – Aristotle uses it for a butterfly.^(LSJ 1940)^(DGE)

+ * 1st century AD – The New Testament uses πᾶσα ψυχή for every person.^(LSJ 1940)^(BDAG 2000)

+

+ ==Meanings==

+ ===Noun===

+ # Life, the life-force of a person or animal.^(LSJ 1940)^(CGL 2021)

+ # One's life, as something risked, saved or lost.^(LSJ 1940)^(CGL 2021)

+ # The soul of a dead person; a ghost.^(LSJ 1940)^(CGL 2021)

+ # The immaterial and immortal [[m|en|soul]].^(LSJ 1940)^(CGL 2021)

+ # The conscious self, heart or mind; spirit, courage; character.^(LSJ 1940)^(CGL 2021)

+ # A person, a living being.^(LSJ 1940)^(CGL 2021)

+ # ''(philosophy)'' The source of life and consciousness; the world-soul.^(CGL 2021)^(LSJ 1940)

+ # Something dear as life.^(LSJ 1940)^(CGL 2021)

+ # A [[m|en|butterfly]] or moth.^(LSJ 1940)

+

+ ==Word family==

+ * [[ἐλευθερόψυχος|tr=eleutherópsūkhos]]

+ * [[εὔψυχος|tr=eúpsūkhos]]

+ * [[ψυχικός|tr=psūkhikós]]

+ * [[ψυχικός|tr=psukhikós]]

+ * [[ἔμψυχος|tr=émpsukhos]]

+ * [[ψυχάριον|tr=psukhárion]]

+

+ ==Related words==

+ * [[ψύχω|tr=psúkhō]]

+ * [[ψυχρός|tr=psukhrós]]

+ * [[en|psyche]]

+

+ ==Usage notes==

+ Plato's ''Cratylus'' and Aristotle discuss ancient derivations of the word.^(LSJ 1940) Commentators report that Heraclitus linked the soul with cold, through ψύχω “to cool”.^(Etygram)

+

+ ==References==

+ {{reflist}}