-η

Ancient Greek

Alternative forms
  • -ᾱ (-ā), -ᾱ́ (-ā́)
  • -ή (-ḗ)

Etymology

From earlier -ᾱ (-ā), from Proto-Indo-European *-eh₂.

Suffix

-η • (-ē) f (genitive -ης); first declension

(Attic, Epic, Ionic, Koine)
  1. Added to verbal stems ending in a consonant to form an action noun.
    1. Added to o-grade of the verbal stem
      ‎τρέφω (tréphō, “to nourish”) + ‎-η (-ē) → ‎τροφή (trophḗ, “nourishment”)
    2. Added to zero-grade of the verbal stem
      ‎φεύγω (pheúgō, “to flee”) + ‎-η (-ē) → ‎φυγή (phugḗ, “flight”)
      ‎τυγχάνω (τυχ-) (tunkhánō (tukh-), “to happen”) + ‎-η (-ē) → ‎τύχη (túkhē, “fortune”)
    3. Added to e-grade of the verbal stem
      ‎στέγω (stégō, “to shelter”) + ‎-η (-ē) → ‎στέγη (stégē, “roof”)

Usage notes

In Attic, the suffix retains the form -ᾱ (-ā) after ε (e), ι (i) or ρ (r).

The o-grade and zero-grade derivations have the accent on the suffix.

Declension
First declension of -η; -ης (Attic)
Case / # Singular Dual Plural
Nominative -η
-ē		 -ᾱ
-ā		 -αι
-ai
Genitive -ης
-ēs		 -αιν
-ain		 -ῶν
-ôn
Dative -ῃ
-ēi		 -αιν
-ain		 -αις
-ais
Accusative -ην
-ēn		 -ᾱ
-ā		 -ᾱς
-ās
Vocative -η
-ē		 -ᾱ
-ā		 -αι
-ai
Notes:
  • This table gives Attic inflectional endings. For declension in other dialects, see Appendix:Ancient Greek dialectal declension.
First declension of -ή; -ῆς (Attic)
Case / # Singular Dual Plural
Nominative -ή
-ḗ		 -ᾱ́
-ā́		 -αί
-aí
Genitive -ῆς
-ês		 -αῖν
-aîn		 -ῶν
-ôn
Dative -ῇ
-êi		 -αῖν
-aîn		 -αῖς
-aîs
Accusative -ήν
-ḗn		 -ᾱ́
-ā́		 -ᾱ́ς
-ā́s
Vocative -ή
-ḗ		 -ᾱ́
-ā́		 -αί
-aí
Notes:
  • This table gives Attic inflectional endings. For declension in other dialects, see Appendix:Ancient Greek dialectal declension.

Alternative forms

Derived terms
► <a class='CategoryTreeLabel CategoryTreeLabelNs14 CategoryTreeLabelCategory' href='/wiki/Category:Ancient_Greek_words_suffixed_with_-%CE%B7_(o-grade)' title='Category:Ancient Greek words suffixed with -η (o-grade)'>Ancient Greek words suffixed with -η (o-grade)</a>
► <a class='CategoryTreeLabel CategoryTreeLabelNs14 CategoryTreeLabelCategory' href='/wiki/Category:Ancient_Greek_words_suffixed_with_-%CE%B7_(zero_grade)' title='Category:Ancient Greek words suffixed with -η (zero grade)'>Ancient Greek words suffixed with -η (zero grade)</a>
► <a class='CategoryTreeLabel CategoryTreeLabelNs14 CategoryTreeLabelCategory' href='/wiki/Category:Ancient_Greek_words_suffixed_with_-%CE%B7_(e-grade)' title='Category:Ancient Greek words suffixed with -η (e-grade)'>Ancient Greek words suffixed with -η (e-grade)</a>

References
  • Smyth, Herbert Weir (1920), “Part III: Formation of Words”, in A Greek grammar for colleges, Cambridge: American Book Company, § 859.2
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