Ancient Greek

Alternative forms

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

Prefix

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.

Usage notes

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.

Derived terms

Descendants

• Greek:
  • α- ‎(a-)
  • ά- ‎(á-)
  • αν- ‎(an-)
  • άν- ‎(án-)
• English
  • anemia

Etymology 2

Prefix

ᾰ̓- • ‎(a-)

1. Alternative form of ἁ- ‎(ha-)

Etymology 3

Prefix

ᾰ̓- • ‎(a-)

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

Etymology 4

Prefix

ᾰ̓- • ‎(a-)

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

References

• 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