ἐγγύη

Ancient Greek

Alternative forms

• ἐγγῠ́ᾱ (engŭ́ā)

Etymology

It is usually assumed that this word contains the preposition ἐν- (en-, “in”) + *γύη (*gúē), a lost word for "hand", which is preserved in Avestan 𐬔𐬀𐬎𐬎𐬀 (gauua, “hand”), as well as in ὑπόγυιος (hupóguios, “nigh at end, imminent”). The Avestan form is ambiguous, however, as it can also continue *gabʰa- and be related to Sanskrit गभस्ति (gabhasti, “arm or hand”), which makes the etymology doubtful.

Further, Greek has γύαλον (gúalon, “hollow of a cuirass”), γυῖον (guîon, “hand”), and γύης (gúēs, “earth”), and from other languages, we may adduce Lithuanian gáuti (“to get, obtain”), suggesting a derivation from Proto-Indo-European *gew- (“hand”). See also ἐγγύς (engús, “nearby”).

Pronunciation

 

• IPA^(key): /eŋ.ɡý.ɛː/ → /eɲˈɟy.i/ → /eɲˈɟi.i/

• (5^th BCE Attic) IPA^(key): /eŋ.ɡý.ɛː/
• (1^st CE Egyptian) IPA^(key): /eŋˈɡy.e̝/
• (4^th CE Koine) IPA^(key): /eɲˈɟy.i/
• (10^th CE Byzantine) IPA^(key): /eɲˈɟy.i/
• (15^th CE Constantinopolitan) IPA^(key): /eɲˈɟi.i/

Noun

ἐγγῠ́η • (engŭ́ē) f (genitive ἐγγῠ́ης); first declension

1. pledge, surety, security, whether received or given

   Synonyms: ἐνέχῠρον (enékhŭron), ῥῡ́σῐον (rhū́sĭon), ὑποθήκη (hupothḗkē)

2. betrothal, contract for a future marriage

Inflection

First declension of ἡ ἐγγῠ́η; τῆς ἐγγῠ́ης (Attic)

Case / #	Singular	Dual	Plural
Nominative	ἡ ἐγγῠ́η hē engŭ́ē	τὼ ἐγγῠ́ᾱ tṑ engŭ́ā	αἱ ἐγγῠ́αι hai engŭ́ai
Genitive	τῆς ἐγγῠ́ης tês engŭ́ēs	τοῖν ἐγγῠ́αιν toîn engŭ́ain	τῶν ἐγγῠῶν tôn engŭôn
Dative	τῇ ἐγγῠ́ῃ têi engŭ́ēi	τοῖν ἐγγῠ́αιν toîn engŭ́ain	ταῖς ἐγγῠ́αις taîs engŭ́ais
Accusative	τὴν ἐγγῠ́ην tḕn engŭ́ēn	τὼ ἐγγῠ́ᾱ tṑ engŭ́ā	τᾱ̀ς ἐγγῠ́ᾱς tā̀s engŭ́ās
Vocative	ἐγγῠ́η engŭ́ē	ἐγγῠ́ᾱ engŭ́ā	ἐγγῠ́αι engŭ́ai
Notes:	This table gives Attic inflectional endings. For declension in other dialects, see Appendix:Ancient Greek dialectal declension.

Derived terms

• ἐγγῠᾰ́ω (engŭắō)
• ἐγγῠ́ημᾰ (engŭ́ēmă)
• ἐγγῠ́ησῐς (engŭ́ēsĭs)
• ἐγγῠητής (engŭētḗs)
• ἐγγῠητῐκός (engŭētĭkós)
• ἐγγῠητός (engŭētós)
• ἐγγῠήτρῐᾱ (engŭḗtrĭā)
• ἔγγῠος (éngŭos)
• ἐχέγγῠος (ekhéngŭos)
• προέγγῠος (proéngŭos)
• ὑπέγγῠος (hupéngŭos)
• φερέγγῠος (pheréngŭos)

Further reading

• “ἐγγύη”, in Liddell & Scott (1940) A Greek–English Lexicon, Oxford: Clarendon Press
• “ἐγγύη”, in Liddell & Scott (1889) An Intermediate Greek–English Lexicon, New York: Harper & Brothers
• ἐγγύη in Bailly, Anatole (1935) Le Grand Bailly: Dictionnaire grec-français, Paris: Hachette
• ἐγγύη in the Diccionario Griego–Español en línea (2006–2025)