First attested in Hellenic as Mycenaean Greek 𐀀𐀵𐀫𐀦 (a-to-ro-qo), of uncertain origin. Scholars used to consider it to be a compound from ἀνήρ (anḗr, “man”) and ὤψ (ṓps, “face, appearance, look”): thus, "he who looks like a man". However, a δ (d) would be expected to develop by epenthesis, as in the genitive ἀνδρός (andrós), yielding *ἀνδρωπος (*andrōpos). Rosén defends this etymology, positing that the original laryngeal *h₃ in the root for ὤψ (ṓps) (from Proto-Indo-European *h₃ókʷs) changed the δ to its aspirated counterpart θ even across the intervening ρ.
Beekes argues that since no convincing Indo-European etymology has been found, the word is probably of Pre-Greek origin; he connects the word with the word δρώψ (drṓps, “man”). According to Beekes (2009:xxix), "Shift of aspiration is found in some cases: θριγκός / τριγχός, ἀθραγένη / ἀνδράχνη".
Garnier proposes a derivation from Proto-Indo-European *h₁n̥dʰéreh₃kʷós (“that which is below”) (from *n̥dʰér + *-h₃kʷ-o-), hence "earthly, human".
The word is treated in Plato's Cratylus.
ἄνθρωπος • (ánthrōpos) m or f (genitive ἀνθρώπου); second declension (Epic, Attic, Ionic, Doric, Koine)
Case / # | Singular | Dual | Plural | ||||||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Nominative | ὁ, ἡ ἄνθρωπος ho, hē ánthrōpos |
τὼ ἀνθρώπω tṑ anthrṓpō |
οἱ, αἱ ἄνθρωποι hoi, hai ánthrōpoi | ||||||||||
Genitive | τοῦ, τῆς ἀνθρώπου toû, tês anthrṓpou |
τοῖν ἀνθρώποιν toîn anthrṓpoin |
τῶν ἀνθρώπων tôn anthrṓpōn | ||||||||||
Dative | τῷ, τῇ ἀνθρώπῳ tôi, têi anthrṓpōi |
τοῖν ἀνθρώποιν toîn anthrṓpoin |
τοῖς, ταῖς ἀνθρώποις toîs, taîs anthrṓpois | ||||||||||
Accusative | τὸν, τὴν ἄνθρωπον tòn, tḕn ánthrōpon |
τὼ ἀνθρώπω tṑ anthrṓpō |
τοὺς, τᾱ̀ς ἀνθρώπους toùs, tā̀s anthrṓpous | ||||||||||
Vocative | ἄνθρωπε ánthrōpe |
ἀνθρώπω anthrṓpō |
ἄνθρωποι ánthrōpoi | ||||||||||
Notes: |
|
Case / # | Singular | Dual | Plural | ||||||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Nominative | ὁ, ἡ ἄνθρωπος ho, hē ánthrōpos |
τὼ ἀνθρώπω tṑ anthrṓpō |
οἱ, αἱ ἄνθρωποι hoi, hai ánthrōpoi | ||||||||||
Genitive | τοῦ, τῆς ἀνθρώπου toû, tês anthrṓpou |
τοῖν ἀνθρώποιν toîn anthrṓpoin |
τῶν ἀνθρώπων tôn anthrṓpōn | ||||||||||
Dative | τῷ, τῇ ἀνθρώπῳ tôi, têi anthrṓpōi |
τοῖν ἀνθρώποιν toîn anthrṓpoin |
τοῖσῐ / τοῖσῐν ἀνθρώποισῐ / ἀνθρώποισῐν / ἀνθρώποις toîsi(n) anthrṓpoisi(n) / anthrṓpois | ||||||||||
Accusative | τὸν, τὴν ἄνθρωπον tòn, tḕn ánthrōpon |
τὼ ἀνθρώπω tṑ anthrṓpō |
τοὺς, τᾱ̀ς ἀνθρώπους toùs, tā̀s anthrṓpous | ||||||||||
Vocative | ἄνθρωπε ánthrōpe |
ἀνθρώπω anthrṓpō |
ἄνθρωποι ánthrōpoi | ||||||||||
Notes: |
|
Case / # | Singular | Dual | Plural | ||||||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Nominative | ἄνθρωπος ánthrōpos |
ἀνθρώπω anthrṓpō |
ἄνθρωποι ánthrōpoi | ||||||||||
Genitive | ἀνθρώπου / ἀνθρωποῖο / ἀνθρώποιο / ἀνθρωπόο / ἀνθρώποο anthrṓpou / anthrōpoîo / anthrṓpoio / anthrōpóo / anthrṓpoo |
ἀνθρώποιῐν anthrṓpoiin |
ἀνθρώπων anthrṓpōn | ||||||||||
Dative | ἀνθρώπῳ anthrṓpōi |
ἀνθρώποιῐν anthrṓpoiin |
ἀνθρώποισῐ / ἀνθρώποισῐν / ἀνθρώποις anthrṓpoisi(n) / anthrṓpois | ||||||||||
Accusative | ἄνθρωπον ánthrōpon |
ἀνθρώπω anthrṓpō |
ἀνθρώπους anthrṓpous | ||||||||||
Vocative | ἄνθρωπε ánthrōpe |
ἀνθρώπω anthrṓpō |
ἄνθρωποι ánthrōpoi | ||||||||||
Notes: |
|
Case / # | Singular | Dual | Plural | ||||||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Nominative | ἡ ἄνθρωπος hē ánthrōpos |
τὼ ἀνθρώπω tṑ anthrṓpō |
αἱ ἄνθρωποι hai ánthrōpoi | ||||||||||
Genitive | τῆς ἀνθρώπου tês anthrṓpou |
τοῖν ἀνθρώποιν toîn anthrṓpoin |
τῶν ἀνθρώπων tôn anthrṓpōn | ||||||||||
Dative | τῇ ἀνθρώπῳ têi anthrṓpōi |
τοῖν ἀνθρώποιν toîn anthrṓpoin |
ταῖς ἀνθρώποις taîs anthrṓpois | ||||||||||
Accusative | τὴν ἄνθρωπον tḕn ánthrōpon |
τὼ ἀνθρώπω tṑ anthrṓpō |
τᾱ̀ς ἀνθρώπους tā̀s anthrṓpous | ||||||||||
Vocative | ἄνθρωπε ánthrōpe |
ἀνθρώπω anthrṓpō |
ἄνθρωποι ánthrōpoi | ||||||||||
Notes: |
|
Case / # | Singular | Dual | Plural | ||||||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Nominative | ἡ ἄνθρωπος hē ánthrōpos |
τὼ ἀνθρώπω tṑ anthrṓpō |
αἱ ἄνθρωποι hai ánthrōpoi | ||||||||||
Genitive | τῆς ἀνθρώπου tês anthrṓpou |
τοῖν ἀνθρώποιν toîn anthrṓpoin |
τῶν ἀνθρώπων tôn anthrṓpōn | ||||||||||
Dative | τῇ ἀνθρώπῳ têi anthrṓpōi |
τοῖν ἀνθρώποιν toîn anthrṓpoin |
τῇσῐ / τῇσῐν ἀνθρώποισῐ / ἀνθρώποισῐν / ἀνθρώποις têisi(n) anthrṓpoisi(n) / anthrṓpois | ||||||||||
Accusative | τὴν ἄνθρωπον tḕn ánthrōpon |
τὼ ἀνθρώπω tṑ anthrṓpō |
τᾱ̀ς ἀνθρώπους tā̀s anthrṓpous | ||||||||||
Vocative | ἄνθρωπε ánthrōpe |
ἀνθρώπω anthrṓpō |
ἄνθρωποι ánthrōpoi | ||||||||||
Notes: |
|
Case / # | Singular | Dual | Plural | ||||||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Nominative | ἄνθρωπος ánthrōpos |
ἀνθρώπω anthrṓpō |
ἄνθρωποι ánthrōpoi | ||||||||||
Genitive | ἀνθρώπου / ἀνθρωποῖο / ἀνθρώποιο / ἀνθρωπόο / ἀνθρώποο anthrṓpou / anthrōpoîo / anthrṓpoio / anthrōpóo / anthrṓpoo |
ἀνθρώποιῐν anthrṓpoiin |
ἀνθρώπων anthrṓpōn | ||||||||||
Dative | ἀνθρώπῳ anthrṓpōi |
ἀνθρώποιῐν anthrṓpoiin |
ἀνθρώποισῐ / ἀνθρώποισῐν / ἀνθρώποις anthrṓpoisi(n) / anthrṓpois | ||||||||||
Accusative | ἄνθρωπον ánthrōpon |
ἀνθρώπω anthrṓpō |
ἀνθρώπους anthrṓpous | ||||||||||
Vocative | ἄνθρωπε ánthrōpe |
ἀνθρώπω anthrṓpō |
ἄνθρωποι ánthrōpoi | ||||||||||
Notes: |
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