ἀδελφός

See also: αδελφός

Ancient Greek

Alternative forms

ἀδελφεός (adelpheós), ἀδελφειός (adelpheiós) – Epic, Ionic, Lyric
ἀδελφιός (adelphiós) – Boeotian
ἀδελφιός (adelphiós), ἀδευφιός (adeuphiós) – Cretan

Etymology

From Proto-Indo-European *sm̥-gʷelbʰ- (“one/same womb”), from *gʷelbʰ- (“womb”), equivalent to ἁ- (ha-, copulative prefix) +‎ δελφύς (delphús, “womb”). The initial /h/ is lost due to Grassmann's Law.

Pronunciation

(5^th BCE Attic) IPA^(key): /a.del.pʰós/
(1^st CE Egyptian) IPA^(key): /a.dɛlˈpʰos/
(4^th CE Koine) IPA^(key): /a.ðelˈɸos/
(10^th CE Byzantine) IPA^(key): /a.ðelˈfos/
(15^th CE Constantinopolitan) IPA^(key): /a.ðelˈfos/

Adjective

ᾰ̓δελφός • (adelphós) m (feminine ᾰ̓δελφή, neuter ᾰ̓δελφόν); first/second declension

(Attic)

brotherly or sisterly
- 467 BCE, Aeschylus, Seven Against Thebes 811
  οὕτως ἀδελφαῖς χερσὶν ἠναίρονθ’ ἅμα;
  hoútōs adelphaîs khersìn ēnaíronth’ háma?
  Translation by Herbert Weir Smyth
  Then with hands so fraternal did they each kill the other together?
double
closely related, akin

Declension

First and second declension of ᾰ̓δελφός; ᾰ̓δελφή; ᾰ̓δελφόν (Attic)

Number	Singular			Dual			Plural
Case/Gender	Masculine	Feminine	Neuter	Masculine	Feminine	Neuter	Masculine	Feminine	Neuter
Nominative	ᾰ̓δελφός adelphós	ᾰ̓δελφή adelphḗ	ᾰ̓δελφόν adelphón	ᾰ̓δελφώ adelphṓ	ᾰ̓δελφᾱ́ adelphā́	ᾰ̓δελφώ adelphṓ	ᾰ̓δελφοί adelphoí	ᾰ̓δελφαί adelphaí	ᾰ̓δελφᾰ́ adelphá
Genitive	ᾰ̓δελφοῦ adelphoû	ᾰ̓δελφῆς adelphês	ᾰ̓δελφοῦ adelphoû	ᾰ̓δελφοῖν adelphoîn	ᾰ̓δελφαῖν adelphaîn	ᾰ̓δελφοῖν adelphoîn	ᾰ̓δελφῶν adelphôn	ᾰ̓δελφῶν adelphôn	ᾰ̓δελφῶν adelphôn
Dative	ᾰ̓δελφῷ adelphôi	ᾰ̓δελφῇ adelphêi	ᾰ̓δελφῷ adelphôi	ᾰ̓δελφοῖν adelphoîn	ᾰ̓δελφαῖν adelphaîn	ᾰ̓δελφοῖν adelphoîn	ᾰ̓δελφοῖς adelphoîs	ᾰ̓δελφαῖς adelphaîs	ᾰ̓δελφοῖς adelphoîs
Accusative	ᾰ̓δελφόν adelphón	ᾰ̓δελφήν adelphḗn	ᾰ̓δελφόν adelphón	ᾰ̓δελφώ adelphṓ	ᾰ̓δελφᾱ́ adelphā́	ᾰ̓δελφώ adelphṓ	ᾰ̓δελφούς adelphoús	ᾰ̓δελφᾱ́ς adelphā́s	ᾰ̓δελφᾰ́ adelphá
Vocative	ᾰ̓δελφέ adelphé	ᾰ̓δελφή adelphḗ	ᾰ̓δελφόν adelphón	ᾰ̓δελφώ adelphṓ	ᾰ̓δελφᾱ́ adelphā́	ᾰ̓δελφώ adelphṓ	ᾰ̓δελφοί adelphoí	ᾰ̓δελφαί adelphaí	ᾰ̓δελφᾰ́ adelphá
Derived forms	Adverb			Comparative			Superlative
Derived forms	ᾰ̓δελφῶς adelphôs			ᾰ̓δελφότερος adelphóteros			ᾰ̓δελφότᾰτος adelphótatos
Notes:	This table gives Attic inflectional endings. For declension in other dialects, see Appendix:Ancient Greek dialectal declension.

Noun

ἀδελφός • (adelphós) m (genitive ἀδελφοῦ); second declension

brother

Declension

Second declension of ὁ ᾰ̓δελφός; τοῦ ᾰ̓δελφοῦ (Attic)

Case / #	Singular	Dual	Plural
Nominative	ὁ ᾰ̓δελφός ho adelphós	τὼ ᾰ̓δελφώ tṑ adelphṓ	οἱ ᾰ̓δελφοί hoi adelphoí
Genitive	τοῦ ᾰ̓δελφοῦ toû adelphoû	τοῖν ᾰ̓δελφοῖν toîn adelphoîn	τῶν ᾰ̓δελφῶν tôn adelphôn
Dative	τῷ ᾰ̓δελφῷ tôi adelphôi	τοῖν ᾰ̓δελφοῖν toîn adelphoîn	τοῖς ᾰ̓δελφοῖς toîs adelphoîs
Accusative	τὸν ᾰ̓δελφόν tòn adelphón	τὼ ᾰ̓δελφώ tṑ adelphṓ	τοὺς ᾰ̓δελφούς toùs adelphoús
Vocative	ᾰ̓δελφέ / ᾰ̓́δελφε adelphé / ádelphe	ᾰ̓δελφώ adelphṓ	ᾰ̓δελφοί adelphoí
Notes:	This table gives Attic inflectional endings. For declension in other dialects, see Appendix:Ancient Greek dialectal declension.

Second declension of ᾰ̓δελφεός; ᾰ̓δελφεοῦ (Epic)

Case / #	Singular	Dual	Plural
Nominative	ᾰ̓δελφεός adelpheós	ᾰ̓δελφεώ adelpheṓ	ᾰ̓δελφεοί adelpheoí
Genitive	ᾰ̓δελφεοῦ / ᾰ̓δελφεοῖο / ᾰ̓δελφεόο adelpheoû / adelpheoîo / adelpheóo	ᾰ̓δελφεοῖῐν adelpheoîin	ᾰ̓δελφεῶν adelpheôn
Dative	ᾰ̓δελφεῷ adelpheôi	ᾰ̓δελφεοῖῐν adelpheoîin	ᾰ̓δελφεοῖσῐ(ν) / ᾰ̓δελφεοῖς adelpheoîsi(n) / adelpheoîs
Accusative	ᾰ̓δελφεόν adelpheón	ᾰ̓δελφεώ adelpheṓ	ᾰ̓δελφεούς adelpheoús
Vocative	ᾰ̓δελφεέ adelpheé	ᾰ̓δελφεώ adelpheṓ	ᾰ̓δελφεοί adelpheoí
Notes:	Dialects other than Attic are not well attested. Some forms may be based on conjecture. Use with caution.

Descendants

Greek: αδελφός (adelfós), αδερφός (aderfós)

ἀδελφός

Ancient Greek

Alternative forms

Etymology

Pronunciation

Adjective

Declension

Noun

Declension

Descendants

Further reading