ἀδελφός

See also: αδελφός

Ancient Greek

Alternative forms

ἀδελφεός (adelpheós), ἀδελφειός (adelpheiós) — Epic, Ionic, Lyric
ἀδελφιός (adelphiós) — Boeotian
ἀδελφιός (adelphiós), ἀδευφιός (adeuphiós) — Cretan

Etymology

From Proto-Hellenic *əgʷelpʰós, equivalent to ἁ- (ha-, copulative prefix) +‎ δελφύς (delphús, “womb”).

Pronunciation

(5^th BCE Attic) IPA^(key): /a.del.pʰós/
(1^st CE Egyptian) IPA^(key): /a.delˈpʰos/
(4^th CE Koine) IPA^(key): /a.ðelˈɸos/
(10^th CE Byzantine) IPA^(key): /a.ðelˈfos/
(15^th CE Constantinopolitan) IPA^(key): /a.ðelˈfos/

Noun

ἀδελφός • (adelphós) m (genitive ἀδελφοῦ); second declension

brother, male sibling
- 470 BCE, Aeschylus, The Suppliants 321:
  Δαναός, ἀδελφὸς δ' ἐστὶ πεντηκοντάπαις.
  Danaós, adelphòs d’ estì pentēkontápais.
  Danaus, and he has a brother with fifty sons.

Declension

Second declension of ὁ ᾰ̓δελφός; τοῦ ᾰ̓δελφοῦ (Attic)

Case / #	Singular	Dual	Plural
Nominative	ὁ ᾰ̓δελφός ho ădelphós	τὼ ᾰ̓δελφώ tṑ ădelphṓ	οἱ ᾰ̓δελφοί hoi ădelphoí
Genitive	τοῦ ᾰ̓δελφοῦ toû ădelphoû	τοῖν ᾰ̓δελφοῖν toîn ădelphoîn	τῶν ᾰ̓δελφῶν tôn ădelphôn
Dative	τῷ ᾰ̓δελφῷ tōî ădelphōî	τοῖν ᾰ̓δελφοῖν toîn ădelphoîn	τοῖς ᾰ̓δελφοῖς toîs ădelphoîs
Accusative	τὸν ᾰ̓δελφόν tòn ădelphón	τὼ ᾰ̓δελφώ tṑ ădelphṓ	τοὺς ᾰ̓δελφούς toùs ădelphoús
Vocative	ᾰ̓δελφέ / ᾰ̓́δελφε ădelphé / ắdelphe	ᾰ̓δελφώ ădelphṓ	ᾰ̓δελφοί ădelphoí
Notes:	This table gives Attic inflectional endings. For declension in other dialects, see Appendix:Ancient Greek dialectal declension.

Coordinate terms

ἀδελφή (adelphḗ, “sister”)

Adjective

ᾰ̓δελφός • (ădelphós) m (feminine ᾰ̓δελφή, neuter ᾰ̓δελφόν); first/second declension (Attic)

brotherly or sisterly
- 467 BCE, Aeschylus, Seven Against Thebes 811:
  οὕτως ἀδελφαῖς χερσὶν ἠναίρονθ’ ἅμα;
  hoútōs adelphaîs khersìn ēnaíronth’ háma?
  1926 translation by Herbert Weir Smyth
  Then with hands so fraternal did they each kill the other together?
double

Declension

First and second declension of ᾰ̓δελφός; ᾰ̓δελφή; ᾰ̓δελφόν (Attic)

Number	Singular			Dual			Plural
Case/Gender	Masculine	Feminine	Neuter	Masculine	Feminine	Neuter	Masculine	Feminine	Neuter
Nominative	ᾰ̓δελφός ădelphós	ᾰ̓δελφή ădelphḗ	ᾰ̓δελφόν ădelphón	ᾰ̓δελφώ ădelphṓ	ᾰ̓δελφᾱ́ ădelphā́	ᾰ̓δελφώ ădelphṓ	ᾰ̓δελφοί ădelphoí	ᾰ̓δελφαί ădelphaí	ᾰ̓δελφᾰ́ ădelphắ
Genitive	ᾰ̓δελφοῦ ădelphoû	ᾰ̓δελφῆς ădelphês	ᾰ̓δελφοῦ ădelphoû	ᾰ̓δελφοῖν ădelphoîn	ᾰ̓δελφαῖν ădelphaîn	ᾰ̓δελφοῖν ădelphoîn	ᾰ̓δελφῶν ădelphôn	ᾰ̓δελφῶν ădelphôn	ᾰ̓δελφῶν ădelphôn
Dative	ᾰ̓δελφῷ ădelphōî	ᾰ̓δελφῇ ădelphēî	ᾰ̓δελφῷ ădelphōî	ᾰ̓δελφοῖν ădelphoîn	ᾰ̓δελφαῖν ădelphaîn	ᾰ̓δελφοῖν ădelphoîn	ᾰ̓δελφοῖς ădelphoîs	ᾰ̓δελφαῖς ădelphaîs	ᾰ̓δελφοῖς ădelphoîs
Accusative	ᾰ̓δελφόν ădelphón	ᾰ̓δελφήν ădelphḗn	ᾰ̓δελφόν ădelphón	ᾰ̓δελφώ ădelphṓ	ᾰ̓δελφᾱ́ ădelphā́	ᾰ̓δελφώ ădelphṓ	ᾰ̓δελφούς ădelphoús	ᾰ̓δελφᾱ́ς ădelphā́s	ᾰ̓δελφᾰ́ ădelphắ
Vocative	ᾰ̓δελφέ ădelphé	ᾰ̓δελφή ădelphḗ	ᾰ̓δελφόν ădelphón	ᾰ̓δελφώ ădelphṓ	ᾰ̓δελφᾱ́ ădelphā́	ᾰ̓δελφώ ădelphṓ	ᾰ̓δελφοί ădelphoí	ᾰ̓δελφαί ădelphaí	ᾰ̓δελφᾰ́ ădelphắ
Derived forms	Adverb			Comparative			Superlative
Derived forms	ᾰ̓δελφῶς ădelphôs			ᾰ̓δελφότερος ădelphóteros			ᾰ̓δελφότᾰτος ădelphótătos
Notes:	This table gives Attic inflectional endings. For declension in other dialects, see Appendix:Ancient Greek dialectal declension.

Derived terms

ψευδάδελφος (pseudádelphos, “false brother”)
ἀδελφοκτόνος (adelphoktónos)
ἀδελφοκτονία (adelphoktonía)

Descendants

Greek: αδελφός (adelfós), αδερφός (aderfós)
Mariupol Greek: адъэрфо́с (aðerfós)
→ French: adelphe

Ancient Greek

Alternative forms

Etymology

Pronunciation

Noun

Declension

Coordinate terms

Adjective

Declension

Derived terms

Descendants

Further reading