πρέσβυς

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Ancient Greek

Alternative forms

Etymology

The first component of the word is likely from Proto-Indo-European *pres (before, in front), an extended form of *per-. The second component is debated:[1]

Pronunciation

 

Adjective

πρέσβῠς (présbusm (feminine πρέσβειᾰ, neuter πρέσβῠ); first/third declension

  1. elderly, aged

Declension

Noun

πρέσβῠς (présbusm (genitive πρέσβεως); third declension

  1. old man
  2. elder, chief, prince
  3. (superlative) revered, honored
  4. ambassador
  5. (at Sparta) a political title, higher than γέρων (gérōn, senator): chief, president
    • Inscriptiones Laconiae 1237, 1326
  6. a name of the τρόχιλος (trókhilos, wren)
  7. a type of daw or chough

Usage notes

For the feminine, see πρέσβᾰ (présba), πρέσβειρᾰ (présbeira), πρεσβηῐ́ς (presbēís).

Inflection

Synonyms

Derived terms

References

  1. ^ Beekes, Robert S. P. (2010) “πρέσβυς”, in Etymological Dictionary of Greek (Leiden Indo-European Etymological Dictionary Series; 10), with the assistance of Lucien van Beek, Leiden, Boston: Brill, →ISBN, pages 1231-2

Further reading

Greek

Etymology

From Ancient Greek πρέσβυς (présbus).

Noun

πρέσβυς (présvysm (plural πρέσβεις, feminine πρέσβειρα)

  1. Katharevousa form of πρέσβης (présvis, ambassador)