γράω

Ancient Greek

Etymology

Traditionally derived from Proto-Indo-European *gres- (“to gnaw, eat”) (although Frisk considers *gr̥s- a more appropriate reconstruction). Possible cognates include Sanskrit ग्रसति (grasati, “to devour”), Old Norse krás f (“delicious food”), and the less likely Latin grāmen n (“grass, herb”).^[1]

Pronunciation

(5^th BCE Attic) IPA^(key): /ɡrǎː.ɔː/
(1^st CE Egyptian) IPA^(key): /ˈɡra.o/
(4^th CE Koine) IPA^(key): /ˈɣra.o/
(10^th CE Byzantine) IPA^(key): /ˈɣra.o/
(15^th CE Constantinopolitan) IPA^(key): /ˈɣra.o/

Verb

γράω • (gráō) (rare)

to gnaw, eat
- 3rd century BCE, Callimachus, Fragmenta‎^[1], section 200:
  γόνος αἰζηῶν ἔγραε κηδεμόνα
  gónos aizēôn égrae kēdemóna
  the offspring of the vigorous gnawed the guardian

Usage notes

The imperative form (singular) γρά (grá, “eat!”) is given by Hesychius, whereas in Cypriot inscriptions this is found as γράσθι (grásthi).

Inflection

Present: γράω, γράομαι

number		singular			dual		plural
		first	second	third	second	third	first	second	third
active	indicative	γράω	γράεις	γράει	γράετον	γράετον	γράομεν	γράετε	γράουσῐ(ν)
	subjunctive	γράω	γράῃς	γράῃ	γράητον	γράητον	γράωμεν	γράητε	γράωσῐ(ν)
	optative	γράοιμῐ	γράοις	γράοι	γράοιτον	γραοίτην	γράοιμεν	γράοιτε	γράοιεν
	imperative		γρᾶε	γραέτω	γράετον	γραέτων		γράετε	γραόντων
middle/ passive	indicative	γράομαι	γράῃ / γράει	γράεται	γράεσθον	γράεσθον	γραόμεθᾰ	γράεσθε	γράονται
	subjunctive	γράωμαι	γράῃ	γράηται	γράησθον	γράησθον	γραώμεθᾰ	γράησθε	γράωνται
	optative	γραοίμην	γράοιο	γράοιτο	γράοισθον	γραοίσθην	γραοίμεθᾰ	γράοισθε	γράοιντο
	imperative		γράου	γραέσθω	γράεσθον	γραέσθων		γράεσθε	γραέσθων
		active				middle/passive
infinitive		γράειν				γράεσθαι
participle	m	γράων				γραόμενος
	f	γράουσᾰ				γραομένη
	n	γρᾶον				γραόμενον
Notes:	This table gives Attic inflectional endings. For conjugation in dialects other than Attic, see Appendix:Ancient Greek dialectal conjugation.

Imperfect: ἔγραον, ἐγραόμην

number		singular			dual		plural
		first	second	third	second	third	first	second	third
active	indicative	ἔγραον	ἔγραες	ἔγραε(ν)	ἐγράετον	ἐγραέτην	ἐγράομεν	ἐγράετε	ἔγραον
middle/ passive	indicative	ἐγραόμην	ἐγράου	ἐγράετο	ἐγράεσθον	ἐγραέσθην	ἐγραόμεθᾰ	ἐγράεσθε	ἐγράοντο
Notes:	This table gives Attic inflectional endings. For conjugation in dialects other than Attic, see Appendix:Ancient Greek dialectal conjugation.

Derived terms

γρᾰ́σσῐς f (grắssĭs, “green fodder”) (rare)
γρᾰ́στῐς f (grắstĭs, “green fodder”) (uncommon)
κρᾰ́στῐς f (krắstĭs, “green fodder”) (more common) probably by folk connection with an unknown word
γραστίζω (grastízō, “to feed at grass”)
καγρᾶς (kagrâs, “gluttonous”) (dialectal, Arcadocypriot) from κατά (katá)+γράω (gráō)

References

^ Beekes, Robert S. P. (2010) “γράω”, in Etymological Dictionary of Greek (Leiden Indo-European Etymological Dictionary Series; 10), with the assistance of Lucien van Beek, Leiden, Boston: Brill, →ISBN, page 286