δή

See also: Appendix:Variations of "de"

Ancient Greek

Alternative forms

• δαί (daí) — after interrogatives, to express wonder or curiosity

Etymology

From Proto-Hellenic *dḗ, from Proto-Indo-European *de (“instrumental particle”). See also δέ (dé).

Pronunciation

 

• IPA^(key): /dɛ̌ː/ → /ði/ → /ði/

• (5^th BCE Attic) IPA^(key): /dɛ̌ː/
• (1^st CE Egyptian) IPA^(key): /de̝/
• (4^th CE Koine) IPA^(key): /ði/
• (10^th CE Byzantine) IPA^(key): /ði/
• (15^th CE Constantinopolitan) IPA^(key): /ði/

Particle

δή • (dḗ) (discourse particle)

1. Adds temporal specificity: now, already
2. Adds emphasis: truly, !, indeed, in truth
3. Adds specificity: exactly
4. Sometimes ironical: no doubt, of course
5. With pronouns: of all people

Usage notes

δή (dḗ) is a post-positive word, meaning that it will usually (but not always) be the second word in a clause.

Conjunction

δή • (dḗ)

1. but, and

Descendants

• → Classical Syriac: ܕܝܢ
• → Coptic: ⲇⲉ (de)
• → Macedonian: де (de)

Further reading

• “δή”, in Liddell & Scott (1940) A Greek–English Lexicon, Oxford: Clarendon Press
• “δή”, in Liddell & Scott (1889) An Intermediate Greek–English Lexicon, New York: Harper & Brothers
• δή in Bailly, Anatole (1935) Le Grand Bailly: Dictionnaire grec-français, Paris: Hachette
• “δή”, in Autenrieth, Georg (1891) A Homeric Dictionary for Schools and Colleges, New York: Harper and Brothers
• δή in Cunliffe, Richard J. (1924) A Lexicon of the Homeric Dialect: Expanded Edition, Norman: University of Oklahoma Press, published 1963
• δή in the Diccionario Griego–Español en línea (2006–2024)
• “δή”, in Slater, William J. (1969) Lexicon to Pindar, Berlin: Walter de Gruyter
• G1211 in Strong, James (1979) Strong’s Exhaustive Concordance to the Bible
• Woodhouse, S. C. (1910) English–Greek Dictionary: A Vocabulary of the Attic Language‎^[1], London: Routledge & Kegan Paul Limited.
  • ay idem, page 57.
  • ever idem, page 285.
  • indeed idem, page 431.
  • pray idem, page 632.
  • surely idem, page 842.
  • truly idem, page 898.
  • yes idem, page 996.