τυγχάνω

Ancient Greek

Etymology

From Proto-Hellenic *tʰunkʰanō, from the nasal-infixed present *dʰu-n-gʰ- of Proto-Indo-European *dʰewgʰ- (to hit, produce, yield), whence also τεύχω (teúkhō, produce).[1]

The present stem τυγχάνω (tunkhánō) is a zero-grade form of the root with nasal infix and nasal suffix, like λαμβάνω (lambánō, to take) and λανθάνω (lanthánō, to do secretly). The aorist stem ἔτυχον (étukhon) is zero-grade with no suffix, and ἐτύχησᾰ (etúkhēsă), and τετύχηκᾰ (tetúkhēkă) are zero-grade with regular first-aorist and perfect suffixes. The future τεύξομαι (teúxomai) and perfect τέτευχᾰ (téteukhă) and τέτευγμαι (téteugmai) are e-grade. Related to τεύχω (teúkhō), which is from a different present stem and with which it shares some forms.

Pronunciation

 

Verb

τυγχάνω • (tunkhánō)

  1. Expressing coincidence: to happen (to be)
    1. (of events) to happen, occur [with dative ‘to someone’]
    2. (of a person) to happen [with participle ‘to do something’]
      • 800 BCE – 600 BCE, Homer, Odyssey 14.334–335:
        τύχησε γὰρ ἐρχομένη νηῦς
        ἀνδρῶν Θεσπρωτῶν ἐς Δουλίχιον πολύπῡρον.
        túkhēse gàr erkhoménē nēûs
        andrôn Thesprōtôn es Doulíkhion polúpūron.
        For a ship belonging to Thesprotian men happened to be going to Dulichium rich in grain.
  2. to succeed [with participle or infinitive ‘at doing’]; to go successfully
    1. to hit a target [with genitive]
    2. to meet someone [with genitive]
    3. to get or attain something [with genitive]

Usage notes

  • The passive aorist form ἐτεύχθην (eteúkhthēn) is attested in compounds.
  • The Epic second aorist subjunctive forms τύχωμι (túkhōmi) and τύχῃσι (túkhēisi) are attested. The later subjunctive Epic form τετύχῃσι (tetúkhēisi) and the optative form τετύχοιεν (tetúkhoien) are also attested. Another present infinitive form, τυγχανέμεν (tunkhanémen), also survives in Ancient Greek literature.
  • The Epic and Ionic future form τεύξεαι (teúxeai) is attested. The Ionic perfect form ἐτετεύχεε (eteteúkhee) is also attested.
  • The Doric aorist participle τυχοῖσα (tukhoîsa) and the Doric perfect form τετεύχεν (teteúkhen) are attested.

Inflection

Antonyms

Derived terms

  • ἀντιτυγχάνω (antitunkhánō)
  • ἀποτυγχάνω (apotunkhánō)
  • διατυγχάνω (diatunkhánō)
  • ἐντυγχάνω (entunkhánō)
  • ἐπιτυγχάνω (epitunkhánō)
  • κατατυγχάνω (katatunkhánō)
  • κατεντυγχάνω (katentunkhánō)
  • παρατυγχάνω (paratunkhánō)
  • παρεντυγχάνω (parentunkhánō)
  • περιτυγχάνω (peritunkhánō)
  • προαποτυγχάνω (proapotunkhánō)
  • προεντυγχάνω (proentunkhánō)
  • προσεντυγχάνω (prosentunkhánō)
  • προσεπιτυγχάνω (prosepitunkhánō)
  • προστυγχάνω (prostunkhánō)
  • προτυγχάνω (protunkhánō)
  • συμπαρατυγχάνω (sumparatunkhánō)
  • συμπεριτυγχάνω (sumperitunkhánō)
  • συντυγχάνω (suntunkhánō)
  • ὑπερεντυγχάνω (huperentunkhánō)
  • ὑποτυγχάνω (hupotunkhánō)

Descendants

  • Greek: τυχαίνω (tychaíno)

References

  1. ^ Beekes, Robert S. P. (2010) “τυγχάνω”, in Etymological Dictionary of Greek (Leiden Indo-European Etymological Dictionary Series; 10), with the assistance of Lucien van Beek, Leiden, Boston: Brill, →ISBN, pages 1515-6

Further reading