ἀ-

From Proto-Hellenic *ə-, from Proto-Indo-European *n̥-. The form ἀν- (an-) appears when followed by a laryngeal and a vowel: that is, in an open syllable of the n̥HV- form. Akin to νη- (nē-), νᾱ- (nā-) and νω- (nō-), which are closed-syllable reflexes of the n̥h₁C-, n̥h₂C-, n̥h₃C- forms, respectively.

Cognate with Old English and English un-, Latin in-, Sanskrit अ- (a-), Old Irish in- and an-.

• ἀν- (an-) – before vowels
• νη- (nē-), νᾱ- (nā-), νω- (nō-) – before a Proto-Indo-European laryngeal and consonant

ᾰ̓- • (a-)

1. The alpha privativum, used to make words that have a sense opposite to the word (or stem) to which the prefix is attached. It is also known as privative a and alpha privative.

The alpha is usually short, but long when added to a stem that begins with three short syllables. Thus, words such as ἀ-δάματος (a-dámatos)) begin with long alpha in Epic, and frequently also in Lyric, Tragic, or Comic poetry. ἀθάνατος (athánatos) and all its compounds always have long alpha.

• Greek: α- (a-)

ᾰ̓- • (a-)

1. Alternative form of ἁ- (ha-)

ᾰ̓- • (a-)

1. The alpha intensivum, used to strengthen the force of compounds.

ᾰ̓- • (a-)

1. The alpha euphonicum, used to soften pronunciation before two consonants.

• ἀ- in Liddell & Scott (1940) A Greek–English Lexicon, Oxford: Clarendon Press
• ἀ- in Liddell & Scott (1940) A Greek–English Lexicon, Oxford: Clarendon Press
• Woodhouse, S. C. (1910) English–Greek Dictionary: A Vocabulary of the Attic Language‎, London: Routledge & Kegan Paul Limited.
  • free idem, page 343.
• Beekes, Robert S. P. (2010) Etymological Dictionary of Greek (Leiden Indo-European Etymological Dictionary Series; 10), volume I, with the assistance of Lucien van Beek, Leiden, Boston: Brill, page 1