ἑλληνίζω

Ancient Greek

FWOTD – 15 July 2016

Etymology

From Ἕλλην (Héllēn, “Greek”) +‎ -ίζω (-ízō).

Pronunciation

 

• IPA^(key): /hel.lɛː.níz.dɔː/ → /el.liˈni.zo/ → /e.liˈni.zo/

• (5^th BCE Attic) IPA^(key): /hel.lɛː.níz.dɔː/
• (1^st CE Egyptian) IPA^(key): /(h)el.le̝ˈni.zo/
• (4^th CE Koine) IPA^(key): /el.liˈni.zo/
• (10^th CE Byzantine) IPA^(key): /el.liˈni.zo/
• (15^th CE Constantinopolitan) IPA^(key): /e.liˈni.zo/

Verb

ἑλληνίζω • (hellēnízō)

1. to speak or write Greek (especially correct Greek)
   • 386 BCE – 367 BCE, Plato, Meno 82b:

     Σωκράτης Ἕλλην μέν ἐστι καὶ ἑλληνίζει;
     Μένων πάνυ γε σφόδρα, οἰκογενής γε.

     Sōkrátēs Héllēn mén esti kaì hellēnízei;
     Ménōn pánu ge sphódra, oikogenḗs ge.

     Socrates: Is [the slave boy] a Greek and does he speak Greek?
     Meno: Very much so, in fact home-bred.

   • 389 BCE – 314 BCE, Aeschines, Against Ctesiphon 172
   • 384 BCE – 322 BCE, Aristotle, Rhetoric 1407a19
   • 60 BCE – 7 BCE, Dionysius of Halicarnassus, Letter to Pompey 2.5
   • 428 BCE – 347 BCE, Plato, Charmides 159a
   • 428 BCE – 347 BCE, Plato, Protagoras 328a
   • 160 CE – 210 CE, Sextus Empiricus, Against the Mathematicians 1.186
   1. to be Greek
      • 384 BCE – 322 BCE, Aristotle, Sophistical Refutations 182a34
   2. to speak common Greek (as opposed to the Attic dialect)
      • 316 BCE – 250 BCE, Posidippus Comicus, Harmost 28:

        σὺ μὲν ἀττικίζεις ... οἱ δ’ Ἕλληνες ἑλληνίζομεν

        sù mèn attikízeis ... hoi d’ Héllēnes hellēnízomen

        You speak Attic, but we Greeks speak Greek.

2. to make Greek, Hellenize
   • 93 CE – 94 CE, Josephus, Antiquities of the Jews 1.6.1
   • 314 CE – 393 CE, Libanius, Orations 11.103

Inflection

number		singular			dual		plural
		first	second	third	second	third	first	second	third
active	indicative	Ἑλληνῐ́ζω	Ἑλληνῐ́ζεις	Ἑλληνῐ́ζει	Ἑλληνῐ́ζετον	Ἑλληνῐ́ζετον	Ἑλληνῐ́ζομεν	Ἑλληνῐ́ζετε	Ἑλληνῐ́ζουσῐ(ν)
	subjunctive	Ἑλληνῐ́ζω	Ἑλληνῐ́ζῃς	Ἑλληνῐ́ζῃ	Ἑλληνῐ́ζητον	Ἑλληνῐ́ζητον	Ἑλληνῐ́ζωμεν	Ἑλληνῐ́ζητε	Ἑλληνῐ́ζωσῐ(ν)
	optative	Ἑλληνῐ́ζοιμῐ	Ἑλληνῐ́ζοις	Ἑλληνῐ́ζοι	Ἑλληνῐ́ζοιτον	Ἑλληνῐζοίτην	Ἑλληνῐ́ζοιμεν	Ἑλληνῐ́ζοιτε	Ἑλληνῐ́ζοιεν
	imperative		Ἑλλήνῐζε	Ἑλληνῐζέτω	Ἑλληνῐ́ζετον	Ἑλληνῐζέτων		Ἑλληνῐ́ζετε	Ἑλληνῐζόντων
middle/ passive	indicative	Ἑλληνῐ́ζομαι	Ἑλληνῐ́ζῃ, Ἑλληνῐ́ζει	Ἑλληνῐ́ζεται	Ἑλληνῐ́ζεσθον	Ἑλληνῐ́ζεσθον	Ἑλληνῐζόμεθᾰ	Ἑλληνῐ́ζεσθε	Ἑλληνῐ́ζονται
	subjunctive	Ἑλληνῐ́ζωμαι	Ἑλληνῐ́ζῃ	Ἑλληνῐ́ζηται	Ἑλληνῐ́ζησθον	Ἑλληνῐ́ζησθον	Ἑλληνῐζώμεθᾰ	Ἑλληνῐ́ζησθε	Ἑλληνῐ́ζωνται
	optative	Ἑλληνῐζοίμην	Ἑλληνῐ́ζοιο	Ἑλληνῐ́ζοιτο	Ἑλληνῐ́ζοισθον	Ἑλληνῐζοίσθην	Ἑλληνῐζοίμεθᾰ	Ἑλληνῐ́ζοισθε	Ἑλληνῐ́ζοιντο
	imperative		Ἑλληνῐ́ζου	Ἑλληνῐζέσθω	Ἑλληνῐ́ζεσθον	Ἑλληνῐζέσθων		Ἑλληνῐ́ζεσθε	Ἑλληνῐζέσθων
		active				middle/passive
infinitive		Ἑλληνῐ́ζειν				Ἑλληνῐ́ζεσθαι
participle	m	Ἑλληνῐ́ζων				Ἑλληνῐζόμενος
	f	Ἑλληνῐ́ζουσᾰ				Ἑλληνῐζομένη
	n	Ἑλληνῐ́ζον				Ἑλληνῐζόμενον
Notes:	This table gives Attic inflectional endings. For conjugation in dialects other than Attic, see Appendix:Ancient Greek dialectal conjugation.

   Present: Ἑλληνῐ́ζω, Ἑλληνῐ́ζομαι

number		singular			dual		plural
		first	second	third	second	third	first	second	third
active	indicative	Ἑλλήνῐζον	Ἑλλήνῐζες	Ἑλλήνῐζε(ν)	Ἑλληνῐ́ζετον	Ἑλληνῐζέτην	Ἑλληνῐ́ζομεν	Ἑλληνῐ́ζετε	Ἑλλήνῐζον
middle/ passive	indicative	Ἑλληνῐζόμην	Ἑλληνῐ́ζου	Ἑλληνῐ́ζετο	Ἑλληνῐ́ζεσθον	Ἑλληνῐζέσθην	Ἑλληνῐζόμεθᾰ	Ἑλληνῐ́ζεσθε	Ἑλληνῐ́ζοντο
Notes:	This table gives Attic inflectional endings. For conjugation in dialects other than Attic, see Appendix:Ancient Greek dialectal conjugation.

   Imperfect: Ἑλλήνῐζον, Ἑλληνῐζόμην

number		singular			dual		plural
		first	second	third	second	third	first	second	third
active	indicative	Ἑλλήνῐσᾰ	Ἑλλήνῐσᾰς	Ἑλλήνῐσε(ν)	Ἑλληνῐ́σᾰτον	Ἑλληνῐσᾰ́την	Ἑλληνῐ́σᾰμεν	Ἑλληνῐ́σᾰτε	Ἑλλήνῐσᾰν
	subjunctive	Ἑλληνῐ́σω	Ἑλληνῐ́σῃς	Ἑλληνῐ́σῃ	Ἑλληνῐ́σητον	Ἑλληνῐ́σητον	Ἑλληνῐ́σωμεν	Ἑλληνῐ́σητε	Ἑλληνῐ́σωσῐ(ν)
	optative	Ἑλληνῐ́σαιμῐ	Ἑλληνῐ́σειᾰς, Ἑλληνῐ́σαις	Ἑλληνῐ́σειε(ν), Ἑλληνῐ́σαι	Ἑλληνῐ́σαιτον	Ἑλληνῐσαίτην	Ἑλληνῐ́σαιμεν	Ἑλληνῐ́σαιτε	Ἑλληνῐ́σειᾰν, Ἑλληνῐ́σαιεν
	imperative		Ἑλλήνῐσον	Ἑλληνῐσᾰ́τω	Ἑλληνῐ́σᾰτον	Ἑλληνῐσᾰ́των		Ἑλληνῐ́σᾰτε	Ἑλληνῐσᾰ́ντων
middle	indicative	Ἑλληνῐσᾰ́μην	Ἑλληνῐ́σω	Ἑλληνῐ́σᾰτο	Ἑλληνῐ́σᾰσθον	Ἑλληνῐσᾰ́σθην	Ἑλληνῐσᾰ́μεθᾰ	Ἑλληνῐ́σᾰσθε	Ἑλληνῐ́σᾰντο
	subjunctive	Ἑλληνῐ́σωμαι	Ἑλληνῐ́σῃ	Ἑλληνῐ́σηται	Ἑλληνῐ́σησθον	Ἑλληνῐ́σησθον	Ἑλληνῐσώμεθᾰ	Ἑλληνῐ́σησθε	Ἑλληνῐ́σωνται
	optative	Ἑλληνῐσαίμην	Ἑλληνῐ́σαιο	Ἑλληνῐ́σαιτο	Ἑλληνῐ́σαισθον	Ἑλληνῐσαίσθην	Ἑλληνῐσαίμεθᾰ	Ἑλληνῐ́σαισθε	Ἑλληνῐ́σαιντο
	imperative		Ἑλλήνῐσαι	Ἑλληνῐσᾰ́σθω	Ἑλληνῐ́σᾰσθον	Ἑλληνῐσᾰ́σθων		Ἑλληνῐ́σᾰσθε	Ἑλληνῐσᾰ́σθων
passive	indicative	Ἑλληνῐ́σθην	Ἑλληνῐ́σθης	Ἑλληνῐ́σθη	Ἑλληνῐ́σθητον	Ἑλληνῐσθήτην	Ἑλληνῐ́σθημεν	Ἑλληνῐ́σθητε	Ἑλληνῐ́σθησᾰν
	subjunctive	Ἑλληνῐσθῶ	Ἑλληνῐσθῇς	Ἑλληνῐσθῇ	Ἑλληνῐσθῆτον	Ἑλληνῐσθῆτον	Ἑλληνῐσθῶμεν	Ἑλληνῐσθῆτε	Ἑλληνῐσθῶσῐ(ν)
	optative	Ἑλληνῐσθείην	Ἑλληνῐσθείης	Ἑλληνῐσθείη	Ἑλληνῐσθεῖτον, Ἑλληνῐσθείητον	Ἑλληνῐσθείτην, Ἑλληνῐσθειήτην	Ἑλληνῐσθεῖμεν, Ἑλληνῐσθείημεν	Ἑλληνῐσθεῖτε, Ἑλληνῐσθείητε	Ἑλληνῐσθεῖεν, Ἑλληνῐσθείησᾰν
	imperative		Ἑλληνῐ́σθητῐ	Ἑλληνῐσθήτω	Ἑλληνῐ́σθητον	Ἑλληνῐσθήτων		Ἑλληνῐ́σθητε	Ἑλληνῐσθέντων
		active			middle		passive
infinitive		Ἑλληνῐ́σαι			Ἑλληνῐ́σᾰσθαι		Ἑλληνῐσθῆναι
participle	m	Ἑλληνῐ́σᾱς			Ἑλληνῐσᾰ́μενος		Ἑλληνῐσθείς
	f	Ἑλληνῐ́σᾱσᾰ			Ἑλληνῐσᾰμένη		Ἑλληνῐσθεῖσᾰ
	n	Ἑλληνῐ́σᾰν			Ἑλληνῐσᾰ́μενον		Ἑλληνῐσθέν
Notes:	This table gives Attic inflectional endings. For conjugation in dialects other than Attic, see Appendix:Ancient Greek dialectal conjugation.

   Aorist: Ἑλλήνῐσᾰ, Ἑλληνῐσᾰ́μην, Ἑλληνῐ́σθην

number		singular			dual		plural
		first	second	third	second	third	first	second	third
middle/ passive	indicative	Ἡλλήνῐσμαι	Ἡλλήνῐσαι	Ἡλλήνῐσται	Ἡλλήνῐσθον	Ἡλλήνῐσθον	Ἡλληνῐ́σμεθᾰ	Ἡλλήνῐσθε	Ἡλληνῐ́σᾰται
	subjunctive	Ἡλληνῐσμένος ὦ	Ἡλληνῐσμένος ᾖς	Ἡλληνῐσμένος ᾖ	Ἡλληνῐσμένω ἦτον	Ἡλληνῐσμένω ἦτον	Ἡλληνῐσμένοι ὦμεν	Ἡλληνῐσμένοι ἦτε	Ἡλληνῐσμένοι ὦσῐ(ν)
	optative	Ἡλληνῐσμένος εἴην	Ἡλληνῐσμένος εἴης	Ἡλληνῐσμένος εἴη	Ἡλληνῐσμένω εἴητον/εἶτον	Ἡλληνῐσμένω εἰήτην/εἴτην	Ἡλληνῐσμένοι εἴημεν/εἶμεν	Ἡλληνῐσμένοι εἴητε/εἶτε	Ἡλληνῐσμένοι εἴησᾰν/εἶεν
	imperative		Ἡλλήνῐσο	Ἡλληνῐ́σθω	Ἡλλήνῐσθον	Ἡλληνῐ́σθων		Ἡλλήνῐσθε	Ἡλληνῐ́σθων
						middle/passive
infinitive						Ἡλληνῐ́σθαι
participle	m					Ἡλληνῐσμένος
	f					Ἡλληνῐσμένη
	n					Ἡλληνῐσμένον
Notes:	This table gives Attic inflectional endings. For conjugation in dialects other than Attic, see Appendix:Ancient Greek dialectal conjugation.

   Perfect: Ἡλλήνῐσμαι

Derived terms

• Ἀφελληνίζω (Aphellēnízō)
• Ἐξελληνίζω (Exellēnízō)

Related terms

• Ἀνελλήνιστος (Anellḗnistos)
• Ἑλληνισμός (Hellēnismós)
• Ἑλληνιστής (Hellēnistḗs)
• Ἑλληνιστί (Hellēnistí)

References

• “Ἑλληνίζω”, in Liddell & Scott (1940) A Greek–English Lexicon, Oxford: Clarendon Press
• “ἑλληνίζω”, in Liddell & Scott (1889) An Intermediate Greek–English Lexicon, New York: Harper & Brothers
• ἑλληνίζω in the Diccionario Griego–Español en línea (2006–2024)