-δήποτε

Greek

Etymology

From Ancient Greek -δήποτε (-dḗpote), from δήποτε (dḗpote), from δή (dḗ) +‎ ποτέ (poté).

Suffix

-δήποτε • (-dípote)

1. Forms relative pronouns and adverbs that are indefinite; -ever, -soever, any-
   1. of relative pronouns derived from other relative pronouns, declension is retained
      1. enhances the ambiguity or vagueness of these pronouns

         ‎όποιος (ópoios, “whoever, whichever, whatever”) + ‎-δήποτε (-dípote) → ‎οποιοσδήποτε (opoiosdípote, “anybody, anyone, no matter who”)

         ‎ό,τι (ó,ti, “whatever”) + ‎-δήποτε (-dípote) → ‎οτιδήποτε (otidípote, “anything, whatsoever”)

      2. gives an ambiguous or general meaning to these pronouns

         ‎όσος (ósos, “as many as, as much as”) + ‎-δήποτε (-dípote) → ‎οσοσδήποτε (ososdípote, “no matter how many, no matter how much”)

   2. of relative adverbs derived from other adverbs and conjunctions, enhances the ambiguity or vagueness

      ‎όποτε (ópote, “whenever”) + ‎-δήποτε (-dípote) → ‎οποτεδήποτε (opotedípote, “whensoever, at whatever time”)

      ‎όπου (ópou, “where, wherever”) + ‎-δήποτε (-dípote) → ‎οπουδήποτε (opoudípote, “wherever, anywhere, wheresoever”)

Declension

The word to which "δήποτε" is attached inflects normally, "δήποτε" itself is invariant.

Further reading

• "-δήποτε", in Λεξικό της κοινής νεοελληνικής [Dictionary of Standard Modern Greek], Triantafyllidis Foundation, 1998 at the Centre for the Greek language