ἀπολύω

See also: απολύω

Ancient Greek

Etymology

From ἀπο- (apo-, “from”) +‎ λῡ́ω (lū́ō, “to loosen”).

Pronunciation

 

• IPA^(key): /a.po.ly̌ː.ɔː/ → /a.poˈly.o/ → /a.poˈli.o/

• (5^th BCE Attic) IPA^(key): /a.po.ly̌ː.ɔː/
• (1^st CE Egyptian) IPA^(key): /a.poˈly.o/
• (4^th CE Koine) IPA^(key): /a.poˈly.o/
• (10^th CE Byzantine) IPA^(key): /a.poˈly.o/
• (15^th CE Constantinopolitan) IPA^(key): /a.poˈli.o/

Verb

ἀπολῡ́ω • (apolū́ō)

1. to loose from
   • 800 BCE – 600 BCE, Homer, Odyssey 21.46
   • 800 BCE – 600 BCE, Homer, Odyssey 12.420
   • 800 BCE – 600 BCE, Homer, Odyssey 3.392
   1. to set free from, release or relieve from
      • 460 BCE – 420 BCE, Herodotus, Histories 2.30
      • 430 BCE – 354 BCE, Xenophon, Cyropaedia 8.3.47
      • 380 BCE, Plato, The Republic 365A
      • 428 BCE – 347 BCE, Plato, Phaedo 64E
      • 384 BCE – 322 BCE, Aristotle, Politics 1.9.8
      • 460 BCE – 395 BCE, Thucydides, History of the Peloponnesian War 1.70
      • 460 BCE – 395 BCE, Thucydides, History of the Peloponnesian War 7.56
      1. (law) to acquit
         • 460 BCE – 420 BCE, Herodotus, Histories 9.88
         • 430 BCE – 354 BCE, Xenophon, Anabasis 6.6.15
         • 422 BCE, Aristophanes, The Wasps 571
         • 460 BCE – 420 BCE, Herodotus, Histories 2.174
         • 460 BCE – 395 BCE, Thucydides, History of the Peloponnesian War 1.95
         • 460 BCE – 395 BCE, Thucydides, History of the Peloponnesian War 1.128
         • 422 BCE, Aristophanes, The Wasps 988–1000
         • 445 BCE – 380 BCE, Lysias, Collected Works 159.43
2. (sole use in the Iliad) to let go free on receipt of ransom
   • 800 BCE – 600 BCE, Homer, Iliad 1.95
   • 800 BCE – 600 BCE, Homer, Iliad 24.115
   • 800 BCE – 600 BCE, Homer, Iliad 22.50
   • 430 BCE – 354 BCE, Xenophon, Hellenica 4.8.21
   1. to let go, let alone, leave
      • 460 BCE – 370 BCE, Hippocrates, The Coan Praenotions 210
3. to discharge or disband an army, dismiss
   • 430 BCE – 354 BCE, Xenophon, Hellenica 6.5.21, (compare Plato, Phaedo 67A)
   • 446 BCE – 386 BCE, Aristophanes, The Acharnians 1155
   1. to divorce a wife
      • New Testament, Matth. 1:19
      • 36 BCE – 30 BCE, Diodorus Siculus, Historical Library 12.18
   2. to do away with, remove
      • 384 BCE – 322 BCE, Demosthenes, Against Leptines 47, (compare Antiphon of Rhamnus, Collected Works 115.20)
   3. to discharge or pay a debt
      • 386 BCE – 367 BCE, Plato, Cratylus 417B
   4. to dismiss a charge
      • 390 BCE – 322 BCE, Hyperides, In Defence of Euxenippus 47
      • 480 BCE – 411 BCE, Antiphon of Rhamnus, Collected Works 115.20
4. to sell
   • 480 BCE – 411 BCE, Antiphon of Rhamnus, Collected Works 131.39
   • 4th century BC, Isaeus, Collected Works 59.32
5. (middle voice) to redeem
   • Opp. C. 3.128
   1. to do away with calumnies against one
      • 460 BCE – 395 BCE, Thucydides, History of the Peloponnesian War 8.87
      • 400 BCE – 387 BCE, Plato, Apology 37B
      • 460 BCE – 395 BCE, Thucydides, History of the Peloponnesian War 5.75
      • 352 BCE, Demosthenes, For the Megalopolitans 2
      • 330 BCE, Demosthenes, On the Crown 4
      • 460 BCE – 420 BCE, Herodotus, Histories 8.59
   2. to acquit of
      • 480 BCE – 411 BCE, Antiphon of Rhamnus, Collected Works 119.12
      • 428 BCE – 347 BCE, Plato, Laws 637C
      1. to release from
         • 386 BCE – 367 BCE, Plato, Menexenus 245A
   3. to depart
      • 442 BCE, Sophocles, Antigone 1314
6. (passive voice) to be released, let off
   • 460 BCE – 420 BCE, Herodotus, Histories 4.84
   • 460 BCE – 395 BCE, Thucydides, History of the Peloponnesian War 2.8
   • 460 BCE – 395 BCE, Thucydides, History of the Peloponnesian War 1.70
   • 460 BCE – 395 BCE, Thucydides, History of the Peloponnesian War 6.29
   • 428 BCE – 347 BCE, Plato, Phaedo 113D:

     καὶ ἐκεῖ οἰκοῦσι τε καὶ καθαιρόμενοι τῶν τε ἀδικημάτων διδόντες δίκας ἀπολύονται

     kaì ekeî oikoûsi te kaì kathairómenoi tôn te adikēmátōn didóntes díkas apolúontai

     and in that place they inhabit purifying themselves and allowing punishments of wrongdoing, they themselves are released

   1. to be separated, get clear, part
      • 460 BCE – 395 BCE, Thucydides, History of the Peloponnesian War 1.49
      • 384 BCE – 322 BCE, Aristotle, Metaphysics 6.6.5
      • 384 BCE – 322 BCE, Aristotle, Physics 1.2.6
      • 384 BCE – 322 BCE, Aristotle, Generation of Animals 3.3.7
      • 384 BCE – 322 BCE, Aristotle, History of Animals 2.1.41
      • 384 BCE – 322 BCE, Aristotle, History of Animals 4.8.7
      • 384 BCE – 322 BCE, Aristotle, History of Animals 4.9.2
      • 384 BCE – 322 BCE, Aristotle, Fragments 300
      1. to depart
         • 442 BCE, Sophocles, Antigone 1268
   2. (of a child) to be brought forth
      • 460 BCE – 370 BCE, Hippocrates, Collected Works 261.49
      • 460 BCE – 370 BCE, Hippocrates, Collected Works 1013E
   3. to be annulled
      • 384 BCE – 322 BCE, Aristotle, Nicomachean Ethics 8.3.3

Conjugation

   Present: ἀπολῡ́ω, ἀπολῡ́ομαι

number		singular			dual		plural
		first	second	third	second	third	first	second	third
active	indicative	ἀπολῡ́ω	ἀπολῡ́εις	ἀπολῡ́ει	ἀπολῡ́ετον	ἀπολῡ́ετον	ἀπολῡ́ομεν	ἀπολῡ́ετε	ἀπολῡ́ουσῐ(ν)
	subjunctive	ἀπολῡ́ω	ἀπολῡ́ῃς	ἀπολῡ́ῃ	ἀπολῡ́ητον	ἀπολῡ́ητον	ἀπολῡ́ωμεν	ἀπολῡ́ητε	ἀπολῡ́ωσῐ(ν)
	optative	ἀπολῡ́οιμῐ	ἀπολῡ́οις	ἀπολῡ́οι	ἀπολῡ́οιτον	ἀπολῡοίτην	ἀπολῡ́οιμεν	ἀπολῡ́οιτε	ἀπολῡ́οιεν
	imperative		ἀπόλῡε	ἀπολῡέτω	ἀπολῡ́ετον	ἀπολῡέτων		ἀπολῡ́ετε	ἀπολῡόντων
middle/ passive	indicative	ἀπολῡ́ομαι	ἀπολῡ́ῃ, ἀπολῡ́ει	ἀπολῡ́εται	ἀπολῡ́εσθον	ἀπολῡ́εσθον	ἀπολῡόμεθᾰ	ἀπολῡ́εσθε	ἀπολῡ́ονται
	subjunctive	ἀπολῡ́ωμαι	ἀπολῡ́ῃ	ἀπολῡ́ηται	ἀπολῡ́ησθον	ἀπολῡ́ησθον	ἀπολῡώμεθᾰ	ἀπολῡ́ησθε	ἀπολῡ́ωνται
	optative	ἀπολῡοίμην	ἀπολῡ́οιο	ἀπολῡ́οιτο	ἀπολῡ́οισθον	ἀπολῡοίσθην	ἀπολῡοίμεθᾰ	ἀπολῡ́οισθε	ἀπολῡ́οιντο
	imperative		ἀπολῡ́ου	ἀπολῡέσθω	ἀπολῡ́εσθον	ἀπολῡέσθων		ἀπολῡ́εσθε	ἀπολῡέσθων
		active				middle/passive
infinitive		ἀπολῡ́ειν				ἀπολῡ́εσθαι
participle	m	ἀπολῡ́ων				ἀπολῡόμενος
	f	ἀπολῡ́ουσᾰ				ἀπολῡομένη
	n	ἀπολῦον				ἀπολῡόμενον
Notes:	This table gives Attic inflectional endings. For conjugation in dialects other than Attic, see Appendix:Ancient Greek dialectal conjugation.

   Imperfect: ἀπέλῡον, ἀπελῡόμην

number		singular			dual		plural
		first	second	third	second	third	first	second	third
active	indicative	ἀπέλῡον	ἀπέλῡες	ἀπέλῡε(ν)	ἀπελῡ́ετον	ἀπελῡέτην	ἀπελῡ́ομεν	ἀπελῡ́ετε	ἀπέλῡον
middle/ passive	indicative	ἀπελῡόμην	ἀπελῡ́ου	ἀπελῡ́ετο	ἀπελῡ́εσθον	ἀπελῡέσθην	ἀπελῡόμεθᾰ	ἀπελῡ́εσθε	ἀπελῡ́οντο
Notes:	This table gives Attic inflectional endings. For conjugation in dialects other than Attic, see Appendix:Ancient Greek dialectal conjugation.

   Future: ἀπολῡ́σω, ἀπολῡ́σομαι, ἀπολῠθήσομαι

number		singular			dual		plural
		first	second	third	second	third	first	second	third
active	indicative	ἀπολῡ́σω	ἀπολῡ́σεις	ἀπολῡ́σει	ἀπολῡ́σετον	ἀπολῡ́σετον	ἀπολῡ́σομεν	ἀπολῡ́σετε	ἀπολῡ́σουσῐ(ν)
	optative	ἀπολῡ́σοιμῐ	ἀπολῡ́σοις	ἀπολῡ́σοι	ἀπολῡ́σοιτον	ἀπολῡσοίτην	ἀπολῡ́σοιμεν	ἀπολῡ́σοιτε	ἀπολῡ́σοιεν
middle	indicative	ἀπολῡ́σομαι	ἀπολῡ́σῃ, ἀπολῡ́σει	ἀπολῡ́σεται	ἀπολῡ́σεσθον	ἀπολῡ́σεσθον	ἀπολῡσόμεθᾰ	ἀπολῡ́σεσθε	ἀπολῡ́σονται
	optative	ἀπολῡσοίμην	ἀπολῡ́σοιο	ἀπολῡ́σοιτο	ἀπολῡ́σοισθον	ἀπολῡσοίσθην	ἀπολῡσοίμεθᾰ	ἀπολῡ́σοισθε	ἀπολῡ́σοιντο
passive	indicative	ἀπολῠθήσομαι	ἀπολῠθήσῃ	ἀπολῠθήσεται	ἀπολῠθήσεσθον	ἀπολῠθήσεσθον	ἀπολῠθησόμεθᾰ	ἀπολῠθήσεσθε	ἀπολῠθήσονται
	optative	ἀπολῠθησοίμην	ἀπολῠθήσοιο	ἀπολῠθήσοιτο	ἀπολῠθήσοισθον	ἀπολῠθησοίσθην	ἀπολῠθησοίμεθᾰ	ἀπολῠθήσοισθε	ἀπολῠθήσοιντο
		active			middle		passive
infinitive		ἀπολῡ́σειν			ἀπολῡ́σεσθαι		ἀπολῠθήσεσθαι
participle	m	ἀπολῡ́σων			ἀπολῡσόμενος		ἀπολῠθησόμενος
	f	ἀπολῡ́σουσᾰ			ἀπολῡσομένη		ἀπολῠθησομένη
	n	ἀπολῦσον			ἀπολῡσόμενον		ἀπολῠθησόμενον
Notes:	This table gives Attic inflectional endings. For conjugation in dialects other than Attic, see Appendix:Ancient Greek dialectal conjugation.

   Aorist: ἀπέλῡσᾰ, ἀπελῡσᾰ́μην, ἀπελῠ́θην

number		singular			dual		plural
		first	second	third	second	third	first	second	third
active	indicative	ἀπέλῡσᾰ	ἀπέλῡσᾰς	ἀπέλῡσε(ν)	ἀπελῡ́σᾰτον	ἀπελῡσᾰ́την	ἀπελῡ́σᾰμεν	ἀπελῡ́σᾰτε	ἀπέλῡσᾰν
	subjunctive	ἀπολῡ́σω	ἀπολῡ́σῃς	ἀπολῡ́σῃ	ἀπολῡ́σητον	ἀπολῡ́σητον	ἀπολῡ́σωμεν	ἀπολῡ́σητε	ἀπολῡ́σωσῐ(ν)
	optative	ἀπολῡ́σαιμῐ	ἀπολῡ́σειᾰς, ἀπολῡ́σαις	ἀπολῡ́σειε(ν), ἀπολῡ́σαι	ἀπολῡ́σαιτον	ἀπολῡσαίτην	ἀπολῡ́σαιμεν	ἀπολῡ́σαιτε	ἀπολῡ́σειᾰν, ἀπολῡ́σαιεν
	imperative		ἀπόλῡσον	ἀπολῡσᾰ́τω	ἀπολῡ́σᾰτον	ἀπολῡσᾰ́των		ἀπολῡ́σᾰτε	ἀπολῡσᾰ́ντων
middle	indicative	ἀπελῡσᾰ́μην	ἀπελῡ́σω	ἀπελῡ́σᾰτο	ἀπελῡ́σᾰσθον	ἀπελῡσᾰ́σθην	ἀπελῡσᾰ́μεθᾰ	ἀπελῡ́σᾰσθε	ἀπελῡ́σᾰντο
	subjunctive	ἀπολῡ́σωμαι	ἀπολῡ́σῃ	ἀπολῡ́σηται	ἀπολῡ́σησθον	ἀπολῡ́σησθον	ἀπολῡσώμεθᾰ	ἀπολῡ́σησθε	ἀπολῡ́σωνται
	optative	ἀπολῡσαίμην	ἀπολῡ́σαιο	ἀπολῡ́σαιτο	ἀπολῡ́σαισθον	ἀπολῡσαίσθην	ἀπολῡσαίμεθᾰ	ἀπολῡ́σαισθε	ἀπολῡ́σαιντο
	imperative		ἀπόλῡσαι	ἀπολῡσᾰ́σθω	ἀπολῡ́σᾰσθον	ἀπολῡσᾰ́σθων		ἀπολῡ́σᾰσθε	ἀπολῡσᾰ́σθων
passive	indicative	ἀπελῠ́θην	ἀπελῠ́θης	ἀπελῠ́θη	ἀπελῠ́θητον	ἀπελῠθήτην	ἀπελῠ́θημεν	ἀπελῠ́θητε	ἀπελῠ́θησᾰν
	subjunctive	ἀπολῠθῶ	ἀπολῠθῇς	ἀπολῠθῇ	ἀπολῠθῆτον	ἀπολῠθῆτον	ἀπολῠθῶμεν	ἀπολῠθῆτε	ἀπολῠθῶσῐ(ν)
	optative	ἀπολῠθείην	ἀπολῠθείης	ἀπολῠθείη	ἀπολῠθεῖτον, ἀπολῠθείητον	ἀπολῠθείτην, ἀπολῠθειήτην	ἀπολῠθεῖμεν, ἀπολῠθείημεν	ἀπολῠθεῖτε, ἀπολῠθείητε	ἀπολῠθεῖεν, ἀπολῠθείησᾰν
	imperative		ἀπολῠ́θητῐ	ἀπολῠθήτω	ἀπολῠ́θητον	ἀπολῠθήτων		ἀπολῠ́θητε	ἀπολῠθέντων
		active			middle		passive
infinitive		ἀπολῦσαι			ἀπολῡ́σᾰσθαι		ἀπολῠθῆναι
participle	m	ἀπολῡ́σᾱς			ἀπολῡσᾰ́μενος		ἀπολῠθείς
	f	ἀπολῡ́σᾱσᾰ			ἀπολῡσᾰμένη		ἀπολῠθεῖσᾰ
	n	ἀπολῦσᾰν			ἀπολῡσᾰ́μενον		ἀπολῠθέν
Notes:	This table gives Attic inflectional endings. For conjugation in dialects other than Attic, see Appendix:Ancient Greek dialectal conjugation.

   Perfect: ἀπολέλῠκᾰ, ἀπολέλῠμαι

number		singular			dual		plural
		first	second	third	second	third	first	second	third
active	indicative	ἀπολέλῠκᾰ	ἀπολέλῠκᾰς	ἀπολέλῠκε(ν)	ἀπολελῠ́κᾰτον	ἀπολελῠ́κᾰτον	ἀπολελῠ́κᾰμεν	ἀπολελῠ́κᾰτε	ἀπολελῠ́κᾱσῐ(ν)
	subjunctive	ἀπολελῠ́κω	ἀπολελῠ́κῃς	ἀπολελῠ́κῃ	ἀπολελῠ́κητον	ἀπολελῠ́κητον	ἀπολελῠ́κωμεν	ἀπολελῠ́κητε	ἀπολελῠ́κωσῐ(ν)
	optative	ἀπολελῠ́κοιμῐ, ἀπολελῠκοίην	ἀπολελῠ́κοις, ἀπολελῠκοίης	ἀπολελῠ́κοι, ἀπολελῠκοίη	ἀπολελῠ́κοιτον	ἀπολελῠκοίτην	ἀπολελῠ́κοιμεν	ἀπολελῠ́κοιτε	ἀπολελῠ́κοιεν
	imperative		ἀπολέλῠκε	ἀπολελῠκέτω	ἀπολελῠ́κετον	ἀπολελῠκέτων		ἀπολελῠ́κετε	ἀπολελῠκόντων
middle/ passive	indicative	ἀπολέλῠμαι	ἀπολέλῠσαι	ἀπολέλῠται	ἀπολέλῠσθον	ἀπολέλῠσθον	ἀπολελῠ́μεθᾰ	ἀπολέλῠσθε	ἀπολέλῠνται
	subjunctive	ἀπολελῠμένος ὦ	ἀπολελῠμένος ᾖς	ἀπολελῠμένος ᾖ	ἀπολελῠμένω ἦτον	ἀπολελῠμένω ἦτον	ἀπολελῠμένοι ὦμεν	ἀπολελῠμένοι ἦτε	ἀπολελῠμένοι ὦσῐ(ν)
	optative	ἀπολελῠμένος εἴην	ἀπολελῠμένος εἴης	ἀπολελῠμένος εἴη	ἀπολελῠμένω εἴητον/εἶτον	ἀπολελῠμένω εἰήτην/εἴτην	ἀπολελῠμένοι εἴημεν/εἶμεν	ἀπολελῠμένοι εἴητε/εἶτε	ἀπολελῠμένοι εἴησᾰν/εἶεν
	imperative		ἀπολέλῠσο	ἀπολελῠ́σθω	ἀπολέλῠσθον	ἀπολελῠ́σθων		ἀπολέλῠσθε	ἀπολελῠ́σθων
		active				middle/passive
infinitive		ἀπολελῠκέναι				ἀπολελῠ́σθαι
participle	m	ἀπολελῠκώς				ἀπολελῠμένος
	f	ἀπολελῠκυῖᾰ				ἀπολελῠμένη
	n	ἀπολελῠκός				ἀπολελῠμένον
Notes:	This table gives Attic inflectional endings. For conjugation in dialects other than Attic, see Appendix:Ancient Greek dialectal conjugation.

   Pluperfect: ἀπελελῠ́κειν, ἀπἐλελῠ́μην

number		singular			dual		plural
		first	second	third	second	third	first	second	third
active	indicative	ἀπελελῠ́κειν, ἀπελελῠ́κη	ἀπελελῠ́κεις, ἀπελελῠ́κης	ἀπελελῠ́κει(ν)	ἀπελελῠ́κετον	ἀπελελῠκέτην	ἀπελελῠ́κεμεν	ἀπελελῠ́κετε	ἀπελελῠ́κεσᾰν
middle/ passive	indicative	ἀπἐλελῠ́μην	ἀπἐλέλῠσο	ἀπἐλέλῠτο	ἀπἐλέλῠσθον	ἀπἐλελῠ́σθην	ἀπἐλελῠ́μεθᾰ	ἀπἐλέλῠσθε	ἀπἐλέλῠντο
Notes:	This table gives Attic inflectional endings. For conjugation in dialects other than Attic, see Appendix:Ancient Greek dialectal conjugation.

   Future perfect: ἀπολελῡ́σομαι

number		singular			dual		plural
		first	second	third	second	third	first	second	third
middle/ passive	indicative	ἀπολελῡ́σομαι	ἀπολελῡ́σῃ, ἀπολελῡ́σει	ἀπολελῡ́σεται	ἀπολελῡ́σεσθον	ἀπολελῡ́σεσθον	ἀπολελῡσόμεθᾰ	ἀπολελῡ́σεσθε	ἀπολελῡ́σονται
	optative	ἀπολελῡσοίμην	ἀπολελῡ́σοιο	ἀπολελῡ́σοιτο	ἀπολελῡ́σοισθον	ἀπολελῡσοίσθην	ἀπολελῡσοίμεθᾰ	ἀπολελῡ́σοισθε	ἀπολελῡ́σοιντο
						middle/passive
infinitive						ἀπολελῡ́σεσθαι
participle	m					ἀπολελῡσόμενος
	f					ἀπολελῡσομένη
	n					ἀπολελῡσόμενον
Notes:	This table gives Attic inflectional endings. For conjugation in dialects other than Attic, see Appendix:Ancient Greek dialectal conjugation.

Quotations

• 50 CE – 100 CE, The Gospel of Luke 2:29:

  Νῦν ἀπολύεις τὸν δοῦλόν σου, δέσποτα, κατὰ τὸ ῥῆμά σου, ἐν εἰρήνῃ·

  Nûn apolúeis tòn doûlón sou, déspota, katà tò rhêmá sou, en eirḗnēi;

  Lord, now lettest thou thy servant depart in peace according to thy word

Synonyms

• (to let go free on receipt of ransom): ἀπολυτρόω (apolutróō)

References

• “ἀπολύω”, in Liddell & Scott (1940) A Greek–English Lexicon, Oxford: Clarendon Press
• “ἀπολύω”, in Liddell & Scott (1889) An Intermediate Greek–English Lexicon, New York: Harper & Brothers
• “ἀπολύω”, in Autenrieth, Georg (1891) A Homeric Dictionary for Schools and Colleges, New York: Harper and Brothers
• ἀπολύω in Bailly, Anatole (1935) Le Grand Bailly: Dictionnaire grec-français, Paris: Hachette
• ἀπολύω in Cunliffe, Richard J. (1924) A Lexicon of the Homeric Dialect: Expanded Edition, Norman: University of Oklahoma Press, published 1963
• ἀπολύω in the Diccionario Griego–Español en línea (2006–2024)
• G630 in Strong, James (1979) Strong’s Exhaustive Concordance to the Bible
• ἀπολύω 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