κακός

The origin is unknown, with multiple theories proposed:^[1]

• From a Proto-Indo-European *kaḱ-, *knḱ- (“slight”), and related to Avestan 𐬐𐬀𐬯𐬎 (kasu, “small, slight”).
• From Proto-Indo-European *kenk- (“to burn, hunger, desire”), and related to Lithuanian keñkti (“to do harm, ache”), Proto-Germanic *hungruz (“hunger”).
• From Pre-Greek.
• Possibly connected with Proto-Indo-European *kakka- (“to defecate”); compare κακκάω (kakkáō, “id”). (Can this⁽⁺⁾ etymology be sourced?)

See also Phrygian κακον (kakon, “harm”), which was borrowed from Greek, and Albanian keq (“bad”).

κᾰκός • (kakós) m (feminine κᾰκή, neuter κᾰκόν); first/second declension

1. As a measure of quality: bad, worthless, useless
2. As a measure of appearance: ugly, hideous
3. Of circumstances: injurious, wretched, unhappy
4. As a measure of character: low, mean, vile, evil

The difference between the three most common comparatives/superlatives is the following:

• κακίων (kakíōn), κάκιστος (kákistos): morally inferior, more cowardly.
• χείρων (kheírōn), χείριστος (kheíristos): inferior in strength, rank, or quality.
• ἥττων (hḗttōn), ἥκιστος (hḗkistos): inferior, weaker, less.

• Greek: κακός (kakós)
• Mariupol Greek: како́с (kakós)

• “κακός”, in Liddell & Scott (1940) A Greek–English Lexicon, Oxford: Clarendon Press
• “κακός”, in Liddell & Scott (1889) An Intermediate Greek–English Lexicon, New York: Harper & Brothers
• “κακός”, in Autenrieth, Georg (1891) A Homeric Dictionary for Schools and Colleges, New York: Harper and Brothers
• κακός in Bailly, Anatole (1935) Le Grand Bailly: Dictionnaire grec-français, Paris: Hachette
• Bauer, Walter et al. (2001) A Greek–English Lexicon of the New Testament and Other Early Christian Literature, Third edition, Chicago: University of Chicago Press
• κακός in Cunliffe, Richard J. (1924) A Lexicon of the Homeric Dialect: Expanded Edition, Norman: University of Oklahoma Press, published 1963
• “κακός”, in Slater, William J. (1969) Lexicon to Pindar, Berlin: Walter de Gruyter
• G2556 in Strong, James (1979) Strong’s Exhaustive Concordance to the Bible
• κακός in Trapp, Erich, et al. (1994–2007) Lexikon zur byzantinischen Gräzität besonders des 9.-12. Jahrhunderts [the Lexicon of Byzantine Hellenism, Particularly the 9th–12th Centuries], Verlag der Österreichischen Akademie der Wissenschaften
• Woodhouse, S. C. (1910) English–Greek Dictionary: A Vocabulary of the Attic Language‎, London: Routledge & Kegan Paul Limited.
  • abandoned idem, page 1.
  • abusive idem, page 5.
  • bad idem, page 58.
  • baleful idem, page 60.
  • base idem, page 64.
  • blackguard idem, page 81.
  • blackguardly idem, page 81.
  • calamitous idem, page 108.
  • careless idem, page 114.
  • corrupt idem, page 176.
  • cowardly idem, page 181.
  • criminal idem, page 184.
  • debased idem, page 199.
  • depraved idem, page 212.
  • detrimental idem, page 220.
  • disgraceful idem, page 233.
  • dishonest idem, page 234.
  • dishonourable idem, page 234.
  • evil idem, page 286.
  • execrable idem, page 290.
  • feeble idem, page 313.
  • graceless idem, page 368.
  • grievous idem, page 373.
  • guilty idem, page 379.
  • harmful idem, page 386.
  • hurtful idem, page 411.
  • ignoble idem, page 414.
  • ill idem, page 414.
  • ill-omened idem, page 416.
  • immoral idem, page 418.
  • inauspicious idem, page 427.
  • incompetent idem, page 429.
  • infamous idem, page 437.
  • iniquitous idem, page 441.
  • injurious idem, page 441.
  • lamentable idem, page 474.
  • low idem, page 502.
  • low-born idem, page 503.
  • mean idem, page 519.
  • mischievous idem, page 533.
  • miserable idem, page 533.
  • naughty idem, page 552.
  • nefarious idem, page 554.
  • niggardly idem, page 558.
  • noxious idem, page 562.
  • obscene idem, page 566.
  • ominous idem, page 572.
  • opprobrious idem, page 577.
  • parlous idem, page 593.
  • pernicious idem, page 607.
  • pitiful idem, page 615.
  • plebeian idem, page 620.
  • poor idem, page 626.
  • portentous idem, page 627.
  • prejudicial idem, page 635.
  • profligate idem, page 653.
  • scandalous idem, page 737.
  • scurvy idem, page 743.
  • shabby idem, page 760.
  • shameful idem, page 761.
  • sinful idem, page 777.
  • sinister idem, page 779.
  • slanderous idem, page 782.
  • sordid idem, page 794.
  • sorry idem, page 795.
  • squalid idem, page 807.
  • troublesome idem, page 897.
  • troublous idem, page 897.
  • uncomfortable idem, page 910.
  • undutiful idem, page 915.
  • unfavourable idem, page 918.
  • unfilial idem, page 918.
  • unfortunate idem, page 918.
  • ungentle idem, page 919.
  • unhappy idem, page 920.
  • unlawful idem, page 924.
  • unlucky idem, page 924.
  • unprincipled idem, page 928.
  • unpropitious idem, page 928.
  • unregenerate idem, page 929.
  • unrighteous idem, page 930.
  • unsatisfactory idem, page 931.
  • unscrupulous idem, page 931.
  • unskilful idem, page 932.
  • vexatious idem, page 950.
  • vicious idem, page 950.
  • vile idem, page 952.
  • villainous idem, page 952.
  • weak idem, page 969.
  • wicked idem, page 978.
  • worthless idem, page 991.
  • wretched idem, page 993.
  • wrong idem, page 994.
• “κακός”, in ΛΟΓΕΙΟΝ (in English, French, Spanish, German, Dutch and Chinese), University of Chicago, 2011

From Ancient Greek κᾰκός (kakós).

• IPA^(key): /kaˈkos/

κακός • (kakós) m (feminine κακή or κακιά, neuter κακό)

1. bad, evil, ill, wicked

   κακοί άνθρωποι ― kakoí ánthropoi ― wicked people

   κακό μάτι ― kakó máti ― evil eye

   κακοί τρόποι ― kakoí trópoi ― bad manners

   κακής ποιότητας ― kakís poiótitas ― of poor quality, shoddy

• φαύλος (fávlos, “villanous, corrupt, vicious”)

• καλός (kalós, “good”)

• διαβολικός (diavolikós, “devilish”)
• σατανικός (satanikós, “devilish”)
• πονηρός (ponirós, “cunning, sly”)