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Definition 2024

-η

Ancient Greek

Alternative forms

-ᾱ ‎(-ā) Attic, before ε, ι, ρ ‎(e, i, r)
-ᾱ ‎(-ā) Aeolic, Doric

Suffix

-η • ‎(-ē) f ‎(genitive -ης); first declension (Attic, Epic, Ionic, Koine)

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”)

Declension

First declension of -η; -ης

Case / #	Singular	Dual	Plural
Nominative	-η	-ᾱ	-αι
Genitive	-ης	-αιν	-ῶν
Dative	-ῃ	-αιν	-αις
Accusative	-ην	-ᾱ	-ᾱς
Vocative	-η	-ᾱ	-αι
Notes:	This table gives Attic inflectional endings. For declension in dialects other than Attic, see Appendix:Ancient Greek dialectal declension.

First declension of -ή; -ῆς

Case / #	Singular	Dual	Plural
Nominative	-ή	-ᾱ́	-αί
Genitive	-ῆς	-αῖν	-ῶν
Dative	-ῇ	-αῖν	-αῖς
Accusative	-ήν	-ᾱ́	-ᾱ́ς
Vocative	-ή	-ᾱ́	-αί
Notes:	This table gives Attic inflectional endings. For declension in dialects other than Attic, see Appendix:Ancient Greek dialectal declension.

Derived terms

<a class='CategoryTreeLabel CategoryTreeLabelNs14 CategoryTreeLabelCategory' href='/wiki/Category:Ancient_Greek_words_suffixed_with_-%CE%B7'>Ancient Greek words suffixed with -η</a>

References

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