οἴομαι

Ancient Greek

FWOTD – 30 September 2014

Alternative forms

ὀΐομαι (oḯomai) — Homeric
οἶμαι (oîmai) — Attic

Etymology

For earlier ὀϝίομαι (owíomai), from Proto-Indo-European *h₂ew- (“perceive”).

Pronunciation

(5^th BCE Attic) IPA^(key): /ǒi̯.o.mai̯/
(1^st CE Egyptian) IPA^(key): /ˈy.o.mɛ/
(4^th CE Koine) IPA^(key): /ˈy.o.mɛ/
(10^th CE Byzantine) IPA^(key): /ˈy.o.me/
(15^th CE Constantinopolitan) IPA^(key): /ˈi.o.me/

Verb

οἴομαι • (oíomai)

to anticipate or to conclude likely with less than complete evidence: to conjecture, to guess or to surmise, in a variety of significations
1. to consider certain or highly probable: to expect, to look to, to look for
2. to have a presentiment of something: to forebode, to foretell, to predict, to presage
  - 800 BCE – 600 BCE, Homer, Iliad 13.283
  - 800 BCE – 600 BCE, Homer, Odyssey 10.248
3. to look for a contingency: to hope, to fear
  - 800 BCE – 600 BCE, Homer, Odyssey 24.401
  - 800 BCE – 600 BCE, Homer, Odyssey 9.339
  - 800 BCE – 600 BCE, Homer, Odyssey 10.380
  - 800 BCE – 600 BCE, Homer, Odyssey 19.390
  - 800 BCE – 600 BCE, Homer, Odyssey 14.298
4. to express full persuasion, either modestly or ironically: to think, to suppose
  Synonym: προσδοκᾰ́ω (prosdokắō)
5. (when the event rests with oneself): to have in mind as a goal or motive for action: to aim, to mean, to intend, to purport, to purpose, to propose
6. to conceive, to deem, to imagine, to suspect (of an opinion or judgment)
  Synonym: σκέπτομαι (sképtomai)
(construction)
1. (with accusative and infinitive, mostly with future infinitive)
  - 800 BCE – 600 BCE, Homer, Iliad 1.78
  - 800 BCE – 600 BCE, Homer, Iliad 5.252
  - 800 BCE – 600 BCE, Homer, Iliad 1.204
  - 800 BCE – 600 BCE, Homer, Iliad 20.195
  - 800 BCE – 600 BCE, Homer, Odyssey 4.453
  - 800 BCE – 600 BCE, Homer, Odyssey 10.232
  - 800 BCE – 600 BCE, Homer, Odyssey 1.323
  - 800 BCE – 600 BCE, Homer, Iliad 5.894
  - 800 BCE – 600 BCE, Homer, Iliad 1.558
  - 800 BCE – 600 BCE, Homer, Odyssey 3.27
2. (with infinitive)
  - 800 BCE – 600 BCE, Homer, Iliad 6.341
  - 800 BCE – 600 BCE, Homer, Iliad 1.296
  - 800 BCE – 600 BCE, Homer, Odyssey 19.215
  - 800 BCE – 600 BCE, Homer, Iliad 13.262
  1. (sometimes the subject of the infinitive is to be supplied from the context)
    - 800 BCE – 600 BCE, Homer, Odyssey 15.278
    - 800 BCE – 600 BCE, Homer, Odyssey 1.201
    - 800 BCE – 600 BCE, Homer, Odyssey 12.212
    - 800 BCE – 600 BCE, Homer, Iliad 12.66
3. (absolute)
  - 800 BCE – 600 BCE, Homer, Iliad 1.561
  - 800 BCE – 600 BCE, Homer, Iliad 9.453
  - 800 BCE – 600 BCE, Homer, Odyssey 15.443
4. (impersonal)
  - 800 BCE – 600 BCE, Homer, Odyssey 19.312
5. (transitive) to wait for, look for
  1. (in many cases an infinitive must be supplied from the context)
6. (used parenthetically, mostly in the first-person)
  - 800 BCE – 600 BCE, Homer, Iliad 8.536
  - 800 BCE – 600 BCE, Homer, Odyssey 16.309
  - 800 BCE – 600 BCE, Homer, Iliad 13.153
  - 800 BCE – 600 BCE, Homer, Odyssey 2.255
  - 800 BCE – 600 BCE, Homer, Odyssey 22.140
  - 800 BCE – 600 BCE, Homer, Odyssey 14.363
  - 458 BCE, Aeschylus, The Libation Bearers 758
  - 380 BCE, Plato, The Republic 486C
  - 366 BCE – 348 BCE, Plato, Theaetetus 147B
  - 385 BCE – 380 BCE, Plato, Symposium 216D
  1. (in Attic)
    1. (expressive of modesty or courtesy, to avoid over-great bluntness of assertion)
      - 380 BCE, Plato, Gorgias 483C
      - 430 BCE – 354 BCE, Xenophon, Cyropaedia 1.3.11
      - 380 BCE, Plato, The Republic 564A
      - 384 BCE – 322 BCE, Demosthenes, Against Leptines 3
      - 384 BCE – 322 BCE, Demosthenes, Against Conon 38
    2. (answering a question, expressive of positive certainty) to believe you, of course, no doubt
      - 446 BCE – 386 BCE, Aristophanes, The Acharnians 919
      - 411 BCE, Aristophanes, Thesmophoriazusae 27
      - 400 BCE – 387 BCE, Plato, Crito 47D
      - 428 BCE – 347 BCE, Plato, Protagoras 325C
      - 400 BCE – 387 BCE, Plato, Crito 53D
      - 428 BCE – 347 BCE, Plato, Phaedo 68B
      - 380 BCE, Plato, Gorgias 522A
7. (peculiar Attic phrases)
  1. (as a parenthetic question) πῶς οἴει, πῶς οἴεσθε ― pôs oíei, pôs oíesthe ― how think you?
    - 405 BCE, Aristophanes, The Frogs 54
  2. οἴομαι δεῖν ― oíomai deîn ― to hold it necessary, think it one's duty (see δέω (déō))
  - 386 BCE – 367 BCE, Plato, Meno 95C
  - 366 BCE – 348 BCE, Plato, Theaetetus 207E
  - 361 BCE, Demosthenes, Against Midias 143
  - 384 BCE – 322 BCE, Demosthenes, Funeral Speech 31
  - 428 BCE – 347 BCE, Plato, Protagoras 316C
  - 430 BCE – 354 BCE, Xenophon, Anabasis 2.6.26
  - 430 BCE – 354 BCE, Xenophon, Memorabilia 4.6.3
  - 384 BCE – 322 BCE, Aristotle, Nicomachean Ethics 1152A.6
  - 384 BCE – 322 BCE, Aristotle, Nicomachean Ethics 1136B.8
  - 428 BCE – 347 BCE, Plato, Hipparchus 225B
  - 406 BCE, Sophocles, Oedipus at Colonus 28
  - 428 BCE – 347 BCE, Plato, Second Alcibiades 144D

Usage notes

Homer has forms with diaeresis, and several forms of the present middle often have long ῑ for the sake of meter; otherwise ὀίομαι (oíomai), for instance, would begin in short–short–short, which is unmetrical.

Inflection

See also ὀῑ̈́ω (oī̈́ō)

Present: οἴομαι

number		singular			dual		plural
		first	second	third	second	third	first	second	third
middle/ passive	indicative	οἴομαι	οἴῃ, οἴει	οἴεται	οἴεσθον	οἴεσθον	οἰόμεθᾰ	οἴεσθε	οἴονται
	subjunctive	οἴωμαι	οἴῃ	οἴηται	οἴησθον	οἴησθον	οἰώμεθᾰ	οἴησθε	οἴωνται
	optative	οἰοίμην	οἴοιο	οἴοιτο	οἴοισθον	οἰοίσθην	οἰοίμεθᾰ	οἴοισθε	οἴοιντο
	imperative		οἴου	οἰέσθω	οἴεσθον	οἰέσθων		οἴεσθε	οἰέσθων
						middle/passive
infinitive						οἴεσθαι
participle	m					οἰόμενος
	f					οἰομένη
	n					οἰόμενον
Notes:	This table gives Attic inflectional endings. For conjugation in dialects other than Attic, see Appendix:Ancient Greek dialectal conjugation.

Present: ὀῑ̈́ομαι Epic

number		singular			dual		plural
		first	second	third	second	third	first	second	third
middle/ passive	indicative	ὀῑ̈́ομαι	ὀῑ̈́ῃ, ὀῑ̈́ει	ὀῑ̈́εται	ὀῑ̈́εσθον	ὀῑ̈́εσθον	ὀῑ̈όμεθᾰ	ὀῑ̈́εσθε	ὀῑ̈́ονται
	subjunctive	ὀῑ̈́ωμαι	ὀῑ̈́ῃ	ὀῑ̈́ηται	ὀῑ̈́ησθον	ὀῑ̈́ησθον	ὀῑ̈ώμεθᾰ	ὀῑ̈́ησθε	ὀῑ̈́ωνται
	optative	ὀῑ̈οίμην	ὀῑ̈́οιο	ὀῑ̈́οιτο	ὀῑ̈́οισθον	ὀῑ̈οίσθην	ὀῑ̈οίμεθᾰ	ὀῑ̈́οισθε	ὀῑ̈́οιντο
	imperative		ὀῑ̈́ου	ὀῑ̈έσθω	ὀῑ̈́εσθον	ὀῑ̈έσθων		ὀῑ̈́εσθε	ὀῑ̈έσθων
						middle/passive
infinitive						ὀῑ̈́εσθαι
participle	m					ὀῑ̈όμενος
	f					ὀῑ̈ομένη
	n					ὀῑ̈όμενον
Notes:	This table gives Attic inflectional endings. For conjugation in dialects other than Attic, see Appendix:Ancient Greek dialectal conjugation. The active ὀῑ̈́ω (oī̈́ō) appears only in the first-person singular indicative as a parenthetical meaning ‘I think, I guess’

Imperfect: ᾠόμην

number		singular			dual		plural
		first	second	third	second	third	first	second	third
middle/ passive	indicative	ᾠόμην	ᾤου	ᾤετο	ᾤεσθον	ᾠέσθην	ᾠόμεθᾰ	ᾤεσθε	ᾤοντο
Notes:	This table gives Attic inflectional endings. For conjugation in dialects other than Attic, see Appendix:Ancient Greek dialectal conjugation.

Future: οἰήσομαι

number		singular			dual		plural
		first	second	third	second	third	first	second	third
middle	indicative	οἰήσομαι	οἰήσῃ, οἰήσει	οἰήσεται	οἰήσεσθον	οἰήσεσθον	οἰησόμεθᾰ	οἰήσεσθε	οἰήσονται
middle	optative	οἰησοίμην	οἰήσοιο	οἰήσοιτο	οἰήσοισθον	οἰησοίσθην	οἰησοίμεθᾰ	οἰήσοισθε	οἰήσοιντο
					middle
infinitive					οἰήσεσθαι
participle	m				οἰησόμενος
	f				οἰησομένη
	n				οἰησόμενον
Notes:	This table gives Attic inflectional endings. For conjugation in dialects other than Attic, see Appendix:Ancient Greek dialectal conjugation.

Aorist: ὠϊσᾰ́μην Epic

number		singular			dual		plural
		first	second	third	second	third	first	second	third
middle	indicative	ὠϊσᾰ́μην	ὠΐσω	ὠΐσᾰτο	ὠΐσᾰσθον	ὠϊσᾰ́σθην	ὠϊσᾰ́μεθᾰ	ὠΐσᾰσθε	ὠΐσᾰντο
	subjunctive	ὀΐσωμαι	ὀΐσῃ	ὀΐσηται	ὀΐσησθον	ὀΐσησθον	ὀϊσώμεθᾰ	ὀΐσησθε	ὀΐσωνται
	optative	ὀϊσαίμην	ὀΐσαιο	ὀΐσαιτο	ὀΐσαισθον	ὀϊσαίσθην	ὀϊσαίμεθᾰ	ὀΐσαισθε	ὀΐσαιντο
	imperative		ὄϊσαι	ὀϊσᾰ́σθω	ὀΐσᾰσθον	ὀϊσᾰ́σθων		ὀΐσᾰσθε	ὀϊσᾰ́σθων
					middle
infinitive					ὀΐσᾰσθαι
participle	m				ὀϊσᾰ́μενος
	f				ὀϊσᾰμένη
	n				ὀϊσᾰ́μενον
Notes:	This table gives Attic inflectional endings. For conjugation in dialects other than Attic, see Appendix:Ancient Greek dialectal conjugation.

Aorist: ᾠήθην Attic, Ionic

number		singular			dual		plural
		first	second	third	second	third	first	second	third
passive	indicative	ᾠήθην	ᾠήθης	ᾠήθη	ᾠήθητον	ᾠηθήτην	ᾠήθημεν	ᾠήθητε	ᾠήθησᾰν
	subjunctive	οἰηθῶ	οἰηθῇς	οἰηθῇ	οἰηθῆτον	οἰηθῆτον	οἰηθῶμεν	οἰηθῆτε	οἰηθῶσῐ(ν)
	optative	οἰηθείην	οἰηθείης	οἰηθείη	οἰηθεῖτον, οἰηθείητον	οἰηθείτην, οἰηθειήτην	οἰηθεῖμεν, οἰηθείημεν	οἰηθεῖτε, οἰηθείητε	οἰηθεῖεν, οἰηθείησᾰν
	imperative		οἰήθητῐ	οἰηθήτω	οἰήθητον	οἰηθήτων		οἰήθητε	οἰηθέντων
							passive
infinitive							οἰηθῆναι
participle	m						οἰηθείς
	f						οἰηθεῖσᾰ
	n						οἰηθέν
Notes:	This table gives Attic inflectional endings. For conjugation in dialects other than Attic, see Appendix:Ancient Greek dialectal conjugation.

Aorist: ὠΐσθην Epic

number		singular			dual		plural
		first	second	third	second	third	first	second	third
passive	indicative	ὠΐσθην	ὠΐσθης	ὠΐσθη	ὠΐσθητον	ὠϊσθήτην	ὠΐσθημεν	ὠΐσθητε	ὠΐσθησᾰν
	subjunctive	ὀϊσθῶ	ὀϊσθῇς	ὀϊσθῇ	ὀϊσθῆτον	ὀϊσθῆτον	ὀϊσθῶμεν	ὀϊσθῆτε	ὀϊσθῶσῐ(ν)
	optative	ὀϊσθείην	ὀϊσθείης	ὀϊσθείη	ὀϊσθεῖτον, ὀϊσθείητον	ὀϊσθείτην, ὀϊσθειήτην	ὀϊσθεῖμεν, ὀϊσθείημεν	ὀϊσθεῖτε, ὀϊσθείητε	ὀϊσθεῖεν, ὀϊσθείησᾰν
	imperative		ὀΐσθητῐ	ὀϊσθήτω	ὀΐσθητον	ὀϊσθήτων		ὀΐσθητε	ὀϊσθέντων
							passive
infinitive							ὀϊσθῆναι
participle	m						ὀϊσθείς
	f						ὀϊσθεῖσᾰ
	n						ὀϊσθέν
Notes:	This table gives Attic inflectional endings. For conjugation in dialects other than Attic, see Appendix:Ancient Greek dialectal conjugation.

Derived terms

(from the syncopated Attic form) ἐγᾦμαι (egôimai)

References

“οἴομαι”, in Liddell & Scott (1940) A Greek–English Lexicon, Oxford: Clarendon Press
“οἴομαι”, in Liddell & Scott (1889) An Intermediate Greek–English Lexicon, New York: Harper & Brothers
“οἴομαι”, in Autenrieth, Georg (1891) A Homeric Dictionary for Schools and Colleges, New York: Harper and Brothers
οἴομαι in Bailly, Anatole (1935) Le Grand Bailly: Dictionnaire grec-français, Paris: Hachette