Ἀλέξανδρος

See also: Αλέξανδρος

Ancient Greek

Etymology

From ἀλέξω (aléxō, “to repel”) + the stem ἀνδρ- (andr-) of ἀνήρ (anḗr, “man”) +‎ -ος (-os), thus “the man who repels [enemies]”. The Hittite 𒀀𒆷𒀝𒊭𒀭𒁺𒍑 (/⁠Alaksānduš⁠/, “Alaksandu”) (attested in the 13th century BCE) seems to have been borrowed from an equivalent name in an ancestor language of Ancient Greek or some related dialect, perhaps Mycenaean Greek. A Linear B name, Mycenaean Greek 𐀀𐀩𐀏𐀭𐀅𐀨 (a-re-ka-sa-da-ra), seemingly corresponding to the feminine form Ancient Greek Ἀλεξάνδρα (Alexándra), is the earliest attested form of the name.

Pronunciation

(5^th BCE Attic) IPA^(key): /a.lék.san.dros/
(1^st CE Egyptian) IPA^(key): /aˈlek.san.dros/
(4^th CE Koine) IPA^(key): /aˈlek.san.dros/
(10^th CE Byzantine) IPA^(key): /aˈlek.san.dros/
(15^th CE Constantinopolitan) IPA^(key): /aˈlek.san.dros/

Proper noun

Ᾰ̓λέξᾰνδρος • (Aléxandros) m (genitive Ᾰ̓λεξᾰ́νδρου); second declension

A title held by Hera and Paris, among others.
a male given name, equivalent to English Alexander, most famously held by Alexander the Great
- 46 CE – 120 CE, Plutarch, Alexander the Great 14:
  καὶ μικρὸν μὲν ἀνεκάθισεν, ἀνθρώπων τοσούτων ἐπερχομένων, καὶ διέβλεψεν εἰς τὸν Ἀλέξανδρον. ὡς δὲ ἐκεῖνος ἀσπασάμενος καὶ προσειπὼν αὐτὸν ἠρώτησεν εἴ τινος τυγχάνει δεόμενος, “Μικρόν,” εἶπεν, “ἀπὸ τοῦ ἡλίου μετάστηθι.”
  kaì mikròn mèn anekáthisen, anthrṓpōn tosoútōn eperkhoménōn, kaì diéblepsen eis tòn Aléxandron. hōs dè ekeînos aspasámenos kaì proseipṑn autòn ērṓtēsen eí tinos tunkhánei deómenos, “Mikrón,” eîpen, “apò toû hēlíou metástēthi.”
  Diogenes raised himself up a little when he saw so many persons coming towards him, and fixed his eyes upon Alexander. And when that monarch addressed him with greetings, and asked if by chance he wanted anything, “Yes,” said Diogenes, “stand a little out of my sun.”

Inflection

Second declension of ὁ Ἀλέξανδρος; τοῦ Ἀλεξάνδρου (Attic)

Case / #	Singular	Dual	Plural
Nominative	ὁ Ἀλέξανδρος ho Aléxandros	τὼ Ἀλεξάνδρω tṑ Alexándrō	οἱ Ἀλέξανδροι hoi Aléxandroi
Genitive	τοῦ Ἀλεξάνδρου toû Alexándrou	τοῖν Ἀλεξάνδροιν toîn Alexándroin	τῶν Ἀλεξάνδρων tôn Alexándrōn
Dative	τῷ Ἀλεξάνδρῳ tôi Alexándrōi	τοῖν Ἀλεξάνδροιν toîn Alexándroin	τοῖς Ἀλεξάνδροις toîs Alexándrois
Accusative	τὸν Ἀλέξανδρον tòn Aléxandron	τὼ Ἀλεξάνδρω tṑ Alexándrō	τοὺς Ἀλεξάνδρους toùs Alexándrous
Vocative	Ἀλέξανδρε Aléxandre	Ἀλεξάνδρω Alexándrō	Ἀλέξανδροι Aléxandroi
Notes:	This table gives Attic inflectional endings. For declension in other dialects, see Appendix:Ancient Greek dialectal declension.

Second declension of Ἀλέξανδρος; Ἀλεξάνδρου (Epic)

Case / #	Singular	Dual	Plural
Nominative	Ἀλέξανδρος Aléxandros	Ἀλεξάνδρω Alexándrō	Ἀλέξανδροι Aléxandroi
Genitive	Ἀλεξάνδρου / Ἀλεξανδροῖο / Ἀλεξάνδροιο / Ἀλεξανδρόο / Ἀλεξάνδροο Alexándrou / Alexandroîo / Alexándroio / Alexandróo / Alexándroo	Ἀλεξάνδροιῐν Alexándroiin	Ἀλεξάνδρων Alexándrōn
Dative	Ἀλεξάνδρῳ Alexándrōi	Ἀλεξάνδροιῐν Alexándroiin	Ἀλεξάνδροισῐ / Ἀλεξάνδροισῐν / Ἀλεξάνδροις Alexándroisi(n) / Alexándrois
Accusative	Ἀλέξανδρον Aléxandron	Ἀλεξάνδρω Alexándrō	Ἀλεξάνδρους Alexándrous
Vocative	Ἀλέξανδρε Aléxandre	Ἀλεξάνδρω Alexándrō	Ἀλέξανδροι Aléxandroi
Notes:	Dialects other than Attic are not well attested. Some forms may be based on conjecture. Use with caution.

Derived terms

Descendants

Greek: Αλέξανδρος (Aléxandros)
→ Albanian: Lleshdër, Leshdër
→ Arabic: أَلِكْسَنْدَرُوس (ʔaliksandarūs), إِسْكَنْدَر (ʔiskandar), الْإِسْكَنْدَر (al-ʔiskandar) (see there for further descendants)
→ Coptic: ⲁⲗⲉⲝⲁⲛⲇⲣⲟⲥ (aleksandros)
→ Egyptian: ꜣrwksjndrs
→ Etruscan: 𐌀𐌋𐌄𐌙𐌔𐌀𐌍𐌕𐌓𐌄 (Aleχsantre), 𐌀𐌋𐌉𐌙𐌔𐌀𐌍𐌕𐌓𐌄 (Aliχsantre)
→ Gagauz: Aleksandri
→ Georgian: ალექსანდრე (aleksandre)
→ Gothic: 𐌰𐌻𐌰𐌹𐌺𐍃𐌰𐌽𐌳𐍂𐌿𐍃 (alaiksandrus)
→ Japanese: アレクサンドロス (Arekusandorosu)
→ Latin: Alexander (see there for further descendants)
→ Middle Persian:
Manichaean script: [Manichaean needed] (ʾlxsyndr)

Book Pahlavi script: [Book Pahlavi needed] (ʾlksndl)
→ Old Armenian: Աղեքսանդր (Ałekʻsandr)
- ⇒ Armenian: Ալեքսանդր (Alekʻsandr)
→ Old Church Slavonic: Алеѯандръ (Aleksandrŭ) (see there for further descendants)