-ων

Ancient Greek

Pronunciation

Etymology 1

(This etymology is missing or incomplete. Please add to it, or discuss it at the Etymology scriptorium.)

Suffix

-ων • (-ōn)

1. Genitive plural of second- and third-declension nouns and adjectives not accented on the ultima
2. Masculine and neuter genitive plural of first- and second-declension not accented on the ultima

Etymology 2

From Proto-Indo-European *-onts.

Suffix

-ων • (-ōn) m (feminine -ουσᾰ, neuter -ον); first/third declension

1. Masculine singular of present, future, and second aorist active participles

Inflection

See also

• active participle endings:
  • -ᾱς (-ās)
  • -ώς (-ṓs)

Etymology 3

From Proto-Indo-European *-yōs with contamination (see there).

Alternative forms

• -ῑ́ων (-ī́ōn)

Suffix

-ων • (-ōn) m or f (neuter -ον); third declension

1. Added to adjective stems to form comparative forms

Inflection

Etymology 4

From Proto-Indo-European *-Hō, dubbed "Hoffmann's suffix", meaning "one who possesses X".

Suffix

-ων • (-ōn) m (genitive -ωνος); third declension

2. Added to nouns to form possessive derivatives

   ‎πλοῦτος (ploûtos, “riches”) + ‎-ων (-ōn) → ‎Πλούτων (Ploútōn, “One who possesses riches, god of the underworld”)

   ‎τιμή (timḗ, “honor”) + ‎-ων (-ōn) → ‎Τίμων (Tímōn, “Honorable One, personal name”)

Inflection

Derived terms

Etymology 5

From Proto-Indo-European *-ō. It is sometimes referred to as the "Strabon suffix", after the personal name, which features it.

Suffix

-ων • (-ōn) m (genitive -ωνος or -ονος); third declension

1. Added to adjectives to form nominalisations

   ‎στραβός (strabós, “squinty-eyed”) + ‎-ων (-ōn) → ‎Στράβων (Strábōn, “Squinty guy, personal name”)

   ‎γλαυκός (glaukós, “gray-eyed”) + ‎-ων (-ōn) → ‎Γλαύκων (Glaúkōn, “Gray-eye, personal name”)

Inflection