κίδαφος

Ancient Greek

Alternative forms

κίνδαφιος (kíndaphios), σκίνδαφος (skíndaphos)

Etymology

According to Beekes the adjectival usage is secondary and the main usage for the word was as an animal name meaning "fox" and due to all the variations of the word he supports that it is a word of Pre-Greek origin. However, it also matches the Semitic root כ־ד־ב (k-ḏ-b) / ك ذ ب (k ḏ b) (Hebrew כ־ז־ב (k-z-b)) related to lies, most closely in Aramaic כַּדָּבָא (kaddāḇā, “frequently lying”) and in Arabic كَذَّاب (kaḏḏāb, “frequently lying”). In the latter case, the word is a doublet of κίβδηλος (kíbdēlos, “deceitful; fake”) in case that term is also of the same origin and not of Pre-Greek origin, contrary to what is suggested by Beekes.

Pronunciation

(5^th BCE Attic) IPA^(key): /kí.da.pʰos/
(1^st CE Egyptian) IPA^(key): /ˈki.da.pʰos/
(4^th CE Koine) IPA^(key): /ˈci.ða.ɸos/
(10^th CE Byzantine) IPA^(key): /ˈci.ða.fos/
(15^th CE Constantinopolitan) IPA^(key): /ˈci.ða.fos/

Adjective

κίδαφος • (kídaphos) m (feminine κιδάφη, neuter κίδαφον); first/second declension

wily, cunning, sly

Inflection

First and second declension of κίδαφος; κιδάφη; κίδαφον (Attic)

Number	Singular			Dual			Plural
Case/Gender	Masculine	Feminine	Neuter	Masculine	Feminine	Neuter	Masculine	Feminine	Neuter
Nominative	κίδαφος kídaphos	κιδάφη kidáphē	κίδαφον kídaphon	κιδάφω kidáphō	κιδάφᾱ kidáphā	κιδάφω kidáphō	κίδαφοι kídaphoi	κίδαφαι kídaphai	κίδαφᾰ kídaphă
Genitive	κιδάφου kidáphou	κιδάφης kidáphēs	κιδάφου kidáphou	κιδάφοιν kidáphoin	κιδάφαιν kidáphain	κιδάφοιν kidáphoin	κιδάφων kidáphōn	κιδάφων kidáphōn	κιδάφων kidáphōn
Dative	κιδάφῳ kidáphōi	κιδάφῃ kidáphēi	κιδάφῳ kidáphōi	κιδάφοιν kidáphoin	κιδάφαιν kidáphain	κιδάφοιν kidáphoin	κιδάφοις kidáphois	κιδάφαις kidáphais	κιδάφοις kidáphois
Accusative	κίδαφον kídaphon	κιδάφην kidáphēn	κίδαφον kídaphon	κιδάφω kidáphō	κιδάφᾱ kidáphā	κιδάφω kidáphō	κιδάφους kidáphous	κιδάφᾱς kidáphās	κίδαφᾰ kídaphă
Vocative	κίδαφε kídaphe	κιδάφη kidáphē	κίδαφον kídaphon	κιδάφω kidáphō	κιδάφᾱ kidáphā	κιδάφω kidáphō	κίδαφοι kídaphoi	κίδαφαι kídaphai	κίδαφᾰ kídaphă
Derived forms	Adverb			Comparative			Superlative
Derived forms	κιδάφως kidáphōs			κιδαφότερος kidaphóteros			κιδαφότᾰτος kidaphótătos
Notes:	This table gives Attic inflectional endings. For declension in other dialects, see Appendix:Ancient Greek dialectal declension.

Derived terms

κιδαφεύω (kidapheúō)