νερό

Greek

Etymology

From Byzantine Greek νερό(ν) (neró(n)), from Koine Greek νηρόν (nērón), from νηρός (nērós, “wet, damp”), from Ancient Greek νεαρός (nearós, “young, fresh”), from the term νεαρὸν ὕδωρ (nearòn húdōr, “fresh water”). Cognate with Italiot Greek nerò, Pontic Greek νερόν (nerón). Displaced earlier Ancient Greek ὕδωρ (húdōr) almost entirely, except in compound terms and formal language. Sometimes misattributed to unrelated Etruscan 𐌍𐌄𐌓𐌉 (neri, “water”) or even Sanskrit नीर (nīra, “water”).

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /neˈro/
• Hyphenation: νε‧ρό

Noun

νερό • (neró) n (plural νερά)

1. water (liquid H₂O)

   μαλακό νερό ― malakó neró ― soft water

   σκληρό νερό ― skliró neró ― hard water

2. (by extension) glass or bottle of water

   Φέρε μου ένα νερό, σε παρακαλώ.

   Fére mou éna neró, se parakaló.

   Bring me a glass of water, please.

3. (by extension) water bill (utility bill for water)

   Πλήρωσα το νερό.

   Plírosa to neró.

   I paid the water bill.

4. (figuratively) wash (a cycle in a washing machine)

   Δε βγήκε ο λεκές στο νερό.

   De vgíke o lekés sto neró.

   The stain didn't come out in the wash.

Declension

	singular	plural
nominative	νερό (neró)	νερά (nerá)
genitive	νερού (neroú)	νερών (nerón)
accusative	νερό (neró)	νερά (nerá)
vocative	νερό (neró)	νερά (nerá)

Derived terms

• αγιασμένο νερό n (agiasméno neró, “holy water”)
• ανθρακούχο νερό n (anthrakoúcho neró, “carbonated water”)
• Γλυφονέρι n (Glyfonéri)
• απόνερα n pl (apónera, “wastewater”)
• γλυκό νερό n (glykó neró, “fresh water”)
• εδαφικό νερό n (edafikó neró, “groundwater”)
• εμφιαλωμένο νερό n (emfialoméno neró, “bottled water”)
• νεράκι n (neráki, diminutive)
• νερό της βρύσης n (neró tis vrýsis, “tap water”)
• τσιρλονέρι n (tsirlonéri, “spring with laxative water”)

 

Sayings

• δεν δίνω του αγγέλου μου νερό (den díno tou angélou mou neró, “to not give someone the time of day”, literally “to not give one's angel water”)
• κάνω μια τρύπα στο νερό (káno mia trýpa sto neró, “to do something pointless, to do in vain”, literally “to make a hole in the water”)
• κάνω νερά (káno nerá, “to spring a leak, to take on water”, literally “to make water”)
• πάω με τα νερά (páo me ta nerá, “to go along with”, literally “to go with the waters of”)
• πίνω νερό στο όνομα (píno neró sto ónoma, “to respect someone, to take one's hat off to”, literally “to drink water in the name of”)
• πνίγομαι σε μια κουταλιά νερό (pnígomai se mia koutaliá neró, “to make a mountain out of a molehill, to make a storm in a teacup”, literally “to drown in a spoonful of water”)
• σαν τα κρύα τα νερά (san ta krýa ta nerá, “full of vigour, full of liveliness”, literally “like the cold waters”)
• σηκώνω νερό (sikóno neró, “stir things up”, literally “bring up water”)
• φέρνω στα νερά μου (férno sta nerá mou, “to bring around, to convince”, literally “to bring to my waters”)

 

Further reading

• νερό, in Λεξικό της κοινής νεοελληνικής [Dictionary of Standard Modern Greek], Triantafyllidis Foundation, 1998 at the Centre for the Greek language
• Terms with νερο-, Terms ending in -νέρι —  Anastasiadi-Symeonidi, Anna (2003) Αντίστροφο λεξικό της νέας ελληνικής (ΑΛΝΕ) [Α Reverse Index of Modern Greek (RIMG)] @ins Institute of Modern Greek Studies (Manolis Triandafyllidis Foundation) ISBN:960-231-097-9 & online @greek-language.gr (abbreviations, asterisk for literary words)
• νερό on the Greek Wikipedia.Wikipedia ^el