μαλακός
Ancient Greek
Etymology
Inherited from Proto-Hellenic *məlakos, from Proto-Indo-European *ml̥h₂ekos, from *melh₂- (“soft, weak”), which Beekes separates from the “grind, rub” meaning, though this is disputed).[1]
Possibly cognate with Old Irish malcad (“rottenness, putrefaction”) and Proto-Germanic *malskaz (“soft; haughty”). Compare μᾰλθᾰκός (mălthăkós), βλᾱ́ξ (blā́x). Distantly cognate with dialectal English masker.
Pronunciation
- (5th BCE Attic) IPA(key): /ma.la.kós/
- (1st CE Egyptian) IPA(key): /ma.laˈkos/
- (4th CE Koine) IPA(key): /ma.laˈkos/
- (10th CE Byzantine) IPA(key): /ma.laˈkos/
- (15th CE Constantinopolitan) IPA(key): /ma.laˈkos/
Adjective
μᾰλᾰκός • (mălăkós) m (feminine μᾰλᾰκή, neuter μᾰλᾰκόν); first/second declension
- soft, tender
- Synonym: ἁπαλός (hapalós)
- gentle
- (of persons, modes of life) soft, mild, gentle
- (in a bad sense) soft, yielding, remiss
- faint-hearted, effeminate, cowardly
- incapable of bearing pain
- (of music) soft, effeminate
- (of reasoning) weak, loose
- (in a bad sense) soft, yielding, remiss
- effeminate
- Synonym: σᾰβᾰκός (săbăkós)
- (of sexual partners) passive; receptive
Inflection
| Number | Singular | Dual | Plural | |||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Case/Gender | Masculine | Feminine | Neuter | Masculine | Feminine | Neuter | Masculine | Feminine | Neuter | |||||
| Nominative | μᾰλᾰκός mălăkós |
μᾰλᾰκή mălăkḗ |
μᾰλᾰκόν mălăkón |
μᾰλᾰκώ mălăkṓ |
μᾰλᾰκᾱ́ mălăkā́ |
μᾰλᾰκώ mălăkṓ |
μᾰλᾰκοί mălăkoí |
μᾰλᾰκαί mălăkaí |
μᾰλᾰκᾰ́ mălăkắ | |||||
| Genitive | μᾰλᾰκοῦ mălăkoû |
μᾰλᾰκῆς mălăkês |
μᾰλᾰκοῦ mălăkoû |
μᾰλᾰκοῖν mălăkoîn |
μᾰλᾰκαῖν mălăkaîn |
μᾰλᾰκοῖν mălăkoîn |
μᾰλᾰκῶν mălăkôn |
μᾰλᾰκῶν mălăkôn |
μᾰλᾰκῶν mălăkôn | |||||
| Dative | μᾰλᾰκῷ mălăkōî |
μᾰλᾰκῇ mălăkēî |
μᾰλᾰκῷ mălăkōî |
μᾰλᾰκοῖν mălăkoîn |
μᾰλᾰκαῖν mălăkaîn |
μᾰλᾰκοῖν mălăkoîn |
μᾰλᾰκοῖς mălăkoîs |
μᾰλᾰκαῖς mălăkaîs |
μᾰλᾰκοῖς mălăkoîs | |||||
| Accusative | μᾰλᾰκόν mălăkón |
μᾰλᾰκήν mălăkḗn |
μᾰλᾰκόν mălăkón |
μᾰλᾰκώ mălăkṓ |
μᾰλᾰκᾱ́ mălăkā́ |
μᾰλᾰκώ mălăkṓ |
μᾰλᾰκούς mălăkoús |
μᾰλᾰκᾱ́ς mălăkā́s |
μᾰλᾰκᾰ́ mălăkắ | |||||
| Vocative | μᾰλᾰκέ mălăké |
μᾰλᾰκή mălăkḗ |
μᾰλᾰκόν mălăkón |
μᾰλᾰκώ mălăkṓ |
μᾰλᾰκᾱ́ mălăkā́ |
μᾰλᾰκώ mălăkṓ |
μᾰλᾰκοί mălăkoí |
μᾰλᾰκαί mălăkaí |
μᾰλᾰκᾰ́ mălăkắ | |||||
| Derived forms | Adverb | Comparative | Superlative | |||||||||||
| μᾰλᾰκῶς mălăkôs |
μᾰλᾰκώτερος mălăkṓteros |
μᾰλᾰκώτᾰτος mălăkṓtătos | ||||||||||||
| Notes: |
| |||||||||||||
| Number | Singular | Dual | Plural | |||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Case/Gender | Masculine | Feminine | Neuter | Masculine | Feminine | Neuter | Masculine | Feminine | Neuter | |||||
| Nominative | μᾰλᾰκός mălăkós |
μᾰλᾰκή mălăkḗ |
μᾰλᾰκόν mălăkón |
μᾰλᾰκώ mălăkṓ |
μᾰλᾰκᾱ́ mălăkā́ |
μᾰλᾰκώ mălăkṓ |
μᾰλᾰκοί mălăkoí |
μᾰλᾰκαί mălăkaí |
μᾰλᾰκᾰ́ mălăkắ | |||||
| Genitive | μᾰλᾰκοῦ / μᾰλᾰκοῖο / μᾰλᾰκόο mălăkoû / mălăkoîo / mălăkóo |
μᾰλᾰκῆς mălăkês |
μᾰλᾰκοῦ / μᾰλᾰκοῖο / μᾰλᾰκόο mălăkoû / mălăkoîo / mălăkóo |
μᾰλᾰκοῖν / μᾰλᾰκοῖῐν mălăkoî(ĭ)n |
μᾰλᾰκαῖν / μᾰλᾰκαῖῐν / μᾰλᾰκῇῐν mălăkaî(ĭ)n / mălăkēîĭn |
μᾰλᾰκοῖν / μᾰλᾰκοῖῐν mălăkoî(ĭ)n |
μᾰλᾰκῶν mălăkôn |
μᾰλᾰκᾱ́ων / μᾰλᾰκέ͜ων / μᾰλᾰκῶν mălăkā́ōn / mălăké͜ōn / mălăkôn |
μᾰλᾰκῶν mălăkôn | |||||
| Dative | μᾰλᾰκῷ mălăkōî |
μᾰλᾰκῇ mălăkēî |
μᾰλᾰκῷ mălăkōî |
μᾰλᾰκοῖν / μᾰλᾰκοῖῐν mălăkoî(ĭ)n |
μᾰλᾰκαῖν / μᾰλᾰκαῖῐν / μᾰλᾰκῇῐν mălăkaî(ĭ)n / mălăkēîĭn |
μᾰλᾰκοῖν / μᾰλᾰκοῖῐν mălăkoî(ĭ)n |
μᾰλᾰκοῖς / μᾰλᾰκοῖσῐ / μᾰλᾰκοῖσῐν mălăkoîs / mălăkoîsĭ(n) |
μᾰλᾰκῇς / μᾰλᾰκῇσῐ / μᾰλᾰκῇσῐν / μᾰλᾰκαῖς mălăkēîs / mălăkēîsĭ(n) / mălăkaîs |
μᾰλᾰκοῖς / μᾰλᾰκοῖσῐ / μᾰλᾰκοῖσῐν mălăkoîs / mălăkoîsĭ(n) | |||||
| Accusative | μᾰλᾰκόν mălăkón |
μᾰλᾰκήν mălăkḗn |
μᾰλᾰκόν mălăkón |
μᾰλᾰκώ mălăkṓ |
μᾰλᾰκᾱ́ mălăkā́ |
μᾰλᾰκώ mălăkṓ |
μᾰλᾰκούς mălăkoús |
μᾰλᾰκᾱ́ς mălăkā́s |
μᾰλᾰκᾰ́ mălăkắ | |||||
| Vocative | μᾰλᾰκέ mălăké |
μᾰλᾰκή mălăkḗ |
μᾰλᾰκόν mălăkón |
μᾰλᾰκώ mălăkṓ |
μᾰλᾰκᾱ́ mălăkā́ |
μᾰλᾰκώ mălăkṓ |
μᾰλᾰκοί mălăkoí |
μᾰλᾰκαί mălăkaí |
μᾰλᾰκᾰ́ mălăkắ | |||||
| Derived forms | Adverb | Comparative | Superlative | |||||||||||
| μᾰλᾰκῶς mălăkôs |
μᾰλᾰκώτερος mălăkṓteros |
μᾰλᾰκώτᾰτος mălăkṓtătos | ||||||||||||
| Notes: |
| |||||||||||||
Antonyms
- (antonym(s) of “soft”): σκληρός (sklērós)
- (antonym(s) of “incapable of bearing pain”): καρτερικός (karterikós)
Derived terms
- μᾰλᾰκίᾱ (mălăkíā)
- μᾰλᾰκόλᾰλος (mălăkólălos)
- μᾰλᾰκόστρᾰκος (mălăkóstrăkos)
- μᾰλάσσω (mălássō)
Descendants
Noun
μᾰλᾰκός • (mălăkós) m (genitive μᾰλᾰκοῦ); second declension
- A person who is soft or gentle
- A person who is morally weak; a degenerate
- (sexual) bottom; sub
Inflection
| Case / # | Singular | Dual | Plural | ||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Nominative | ὁ μᾰλᾰκός ho mălăkós |
τὼ μᾰλᾰκώ tṑ mălăkṓ |
οἱ μᾰλᾰκοί hoi mălăkoí | ||||||||||
| Genitive | τοῦ μᾰλᾰκοῦ toû mălăkoû |
τοῖν μᾰλᾰκοῖν toîn mălăkoîn |
τῶν μᾰλᾰκῶν tôn mălăkôn | ||||||||||
| Dative | τῷ μᾰλᾰκῷ tōî mălăkōî |
τοῖν μᾰλᾰκοῖν toîn mălăkoîn |
τοῖς μᾰλᾰκοῖς toîs mălăkoîs | ||||||||||
| Accusative | τὸν μᾰλᾰκόν tòn mălăkón |
τὼ μᾰλᾰκώ tṑ mălăkṓ |
τοὺς μᾰλᾰκούς toùs mălăkoús | ||||||||||
| Vocative | μᾰλᾰκέ mălăké |
μᾰλᾰκώ mălăkṓ |
μᾰλᾰκοί mălăkoí | ||||||||||
| Notes: |
| ||||||||||||
| Case / # | Singular | Dual | Plural | ||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Nominative | μᾰλᾰκός mălăkós |
μᾰλᾰκώ mălăkṓ |
μᾰλᾰκοί mălăkoí | ||||||||||
| Genitive | μᾰλᾰκοῦ / μᾰλᾰκοῖο / μᾰλᾰκόο mălăkoû / mălăkoîo / mălăkóo |
μᾰλᾰκοῖν / μᾰλᾰκοῖῐν mălăkoî(ĭ)n |
μᾰλᾰκῶν mălăkôn | ||||||||||
| Dative | μᾰλᾰκῷ mălăkōî |
μᾰλᾰκοῖν / μᾰλᾰκοῖῐν mălăkoî(ĭ)n |
μᾰλᾰκοῖς / μᾰλᾰκοῖσῐ / μᾰλᾰκοῖσῐν mălăkoîs / mălăkoîsĭ(n) | ||||||||||
| Accusative | μᾰλᾰκόν mălăkón |
μᾰλᾰκώ mălăkṓ |
μᾰλᾰκούς mălăkoús | ||||||||||
| Vocative | μᾰλᾰκέ mălăké |
μᾰλᾰκώ mălăkṓ |
μᾰλᾰκοί mălăkoí | ||||||||||
| Notes: |
| ||||||||||||
References
- ^ Beekes, Robert S. P. (2010) “μαλακός”, in Etymological Dictionary of Greek (Leiden Indo-European Etymological Dictionary Series; 10), with the assistance of Lucien van Beek, Leiden, Boston: Brill, →ISBN, page 896
Further reading
- “μαλακός”, in Liddell & Scott (1940) A Greek–English Lexicon, Oxford: Clarendon Press
- “μαλακός”, in Liddell & Scott (1889) An Intermediate Greek–English Lexicon, New York: Harper & Brothers
- “μαλακός”, in Autenrieth, Georg (1891) A Homeric Dictionary for Schools and Colleges, New York: Harper and Brothers
- μαλακός in Bailly, Anatole (1935) Le Grand Bailly: Dictionnaire grec-français, Paris: Hachette
- μαλακός in Cunliffe, Richard J. (1924) A Lexicon of the Homeric Dialect: Expanded Edition, Norman: University of Oklahoma Press, published 1963
- “μαλακός”, in Slater, William J. (1969) Lexicon to Pindar, Berlin: Walter de Gruyter
- G3120 in Strong, James (1979) Strong’s Exhaustive Concordance to the Bible
- Woodhouse, S. C. (1910) English–Greek Dictionary: A Vocabulary of the Attic Language[1], London: Routledge & Kegan Paul Limited.
- balmy idem, page 60.
- be comfortable, v. idem, page 66.
- cowardly idem, page 181.
- dainty idem, page 193.
- delicate idem, page 207.
- effeminate idem, page 262.
- exquisite idem, page 296.
- feeble idem, page 313.
- gentle idem, page 357.
- infirm idem, page 438.
- invertebrate idem, page 457.
- languid idem, page 475.
- languishing idem, page 476.
- lifeless idem, page 489.
- limp idem, page 492.
- luxurious idem, page 506.
- maudlin idem, page 518.
- meek idem, page 522.
- mild idem, page 529.
- negligent idem, page 555.
- nerveless idem, page 556.
- remiss idem, page 693.
- sentimental idem, page 754.
- slack idem, page 782.
- smooth idem, page 788.
- soft idem, page 791.
- supine idem, page 840.
- tender idem, page 861.
- timid idem, page 876.
- unmanly idem, page 925.
- unresisting idem, page 929.
- voluptuous idem, page 957.
- weak idem, page 969.
- womanish idem, page 986.
- yielding idem, page 996.
Greek
Etymology
From Ancient Greek μαλακός (malakós).
Pronunciation
- IPA(key): /ma.laˈkos/
- Hyphenation: μα‧λα‧κός
Adjective
μαλακός • (malakós) m (feminine μαλακή or μαλακιά, neuter μαλακό)
Declension
| singular | plural | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| masculine | feminine | neuter | masculine | feminine | neuter | ||
| nominative | μαλακός (malakós) | μαλακή (malakí) μαλακιά (malakiá) |
μαλακό (malakó) | μαλακοί (malakoí) | μαλακές (malakés) | μαλακά (malaká) | |
| genitive | μαλακού (malakoú) | μαλακής (malakís) μαλακιάς (malakiás) |
μαλακού (malakoú) | μαλακών (malakón) | μαλακών (malakón) | μαλακών (malakón) | |
| accusative | μαλακό (malakó) | μαλακή (malakí) μαλακιά (malakiá) |
μαλακό (malakó) | μαλακούς (malakoús) | μαλακές (malakés) | μαλακά (malaká) | |
| vocative | μαλακέ (malaké) | μαλακή (malakí) μαλακιά (malakiá) |
μαλακό (malakó) | μαλακοί (malakoí) | μαλακές (malakés) | μαλακά (malaká) | |
Derivations:
Comparative: πιο + positive forms (e.g. πιο μαλακός, etc.)
Relative superlative: definite article + πιο + positive forms (e.g. ο πιο μαλακός, etc.)
Derivations: relative superlative: ο + comparative forms (eg "ο μαλακότερος", etc)
| ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Antonyms
- σκληρός (sklirós, “hard, tough”)
Related terms
- μαλακά (malaká, “gently”)