ἁ-

See also: α-, ά-, and ἀ-

Ancient Greek

Alternative forms

• ἀ- (a-), ὀ- (o-)

Etymology

From Proto-Hellenic *hə-, from Proto-Indo-European *sm̥-, zero-grade of *sem-. The form without the rough breathing is due to Grassmann's law or analogy.

Pronunciation

 

• IPA^(key): /ha/ → /a/ → /a/

• (5^th BCE Attic) IPA^(key): /ha/
• (1^st CE Egyptian) IPA^(key): /(h)a/
• (4^th CE Koine) IPA^(key): /a/
• (10^th CE Byzantine) IPA^(key): /a/
• (15^th CE Constantinopolitan) IPA^(key): /a/

Prefix

ᾰ̔- • (hă-)

1. The alpha copulativum, used to express union or likeness.

Derived terms

Ancient Greek terms prefixed with ἁ-

ἀδελφός

ᾍδης

ἄκοιτις

ἀλέκτωρ

ἄλοχος

ἅπας

ἁπλόος

ἀτάλαντος

References

• “ἁ-”, in Liddell & Scott (1940) A Greek–English Lexicon, Oxford: Clarendon Press
• Smyth, Herbert Weir (1920) “Part III: Formation of Words”, in A Greek grammar for colleges, Cambridge: American Book Company, § 885.4