ἀμύνω

Ancient Greek

Etymology

If the nasal is originally a present marker, as in κλίνω (klínō) and πλύνω (plúnō), we have a root ἀμυ-, which may be found in ἀμεύομαι (ameúomai, “to surpass, outstrip”), but the semantics are not quite clear. Perhaps related to μύνη (múnē, “excuse, pretense”).

Pronunciation

(5^th BCE Attic) IPA^(key): /a.my̌ː.nɔː/
(1^st CE Egyptian) IPA^(key): /aˈmy.no/
(4^th CE Koine) IPA^(key): /aˈmy.no/
(10^th CE Byzantine) IPA^(key): /aˈmy.no/
(15^th CE Constantinopolitan) IPA^(key): /aˈmi.no/

Verb

ᾰ̓μῡ́νω • (ămū́nō)

(transitive) to keep off, ward off, defend, guard, assist [with accusative ‘something/someone’ and dative ‘from something/someone’]
(transitive) to avenge, punish, repay, requite

Usage notes

Generally, the object being protected received the dative case, while the offending object receives the accusative. The second sense, "avenge" is more common in the middle voice.

Inflection

Present: ᾰ̓μῡ́νω, ᾰ̓μῡ́νομαι

number		singular			dual		plural
		first	second	third	second	third	first	second	third
active	indicative	ᾰ̓μῡ́νω	ᾰ̓μῡ́νεις	ᾰ̓μῡ́νει	ᾰ̓μῡ́νετον	ᾰ̓μῡ́νετον	ᾰ̓μῡ́νομεν	ᾰ̓μῡ́νετε	ᾰ̓μῡ́νουσῐ(ν)
	subjunctive	ᾰ̓μῡ́νω	ᾰ̓μῡ́νῃς	ᾰ̓μῡ́νῃ	ᾰ̓μῡ́νητον	ᾰ̓μῡ́νητον	ᾰ̓μῡ́νωμεν	ᾰ̓μῡ́νητε	ᾰ̓μῡ́νωσῐ(ν)
	optative	ᾰ̓μῡ́νοιμῐ	ᾰ̓μῡ́νοις	ᾰ̓μῡ́νοι	ᾰ̓μῡ́νοιτον	ᾰ̓μῡνοίτην	ᾰ̓μῡ́νοιμεν	ᾰ̓μῡ́νοιτε	ᾰ̓μῡ́νοιεν
	imperative		ᾰ̓́μῡνε	ᾰ̓μῡνέτω	ᾰ̓μῡ́νετον	ᾰ̓μῡνέτων		ᾰ̓μῡ́νετε	ᾰ̓μῡνόντων
middle/ passive	indicative	ᾰ̓μῡ́νομαι	ᾰ̓μῡ́νῃ / ᾰ̓μῡ́νει	ᾰ̓μῡ́νεται	ᾰ̓μῡ́νεσθον	ᾰ̓μῡ́νεσθον	ᾰ̓μῡνόμεθᾰ	ᾰ̓μῡ́νεσθε	ᾰ̓μῡ́νονται
	subjunctive	ᾰ̓μῡ́νωμαι	ᾰ̓μῡ́νῃ	ᾰ̓μῡ́νηται	ᾰ̓μῡ́νησθον	ᾰ̓μῡ́νησθον	ᾰ̓μῡνώμεθᾰ	ᾰ̓μῡ́νησθε	ᾰ̓μῡ́νωνται
	optative	ᾰ̓μῡνοίμην	ᾰ̓μῡ́νοιο	ᾰ̓μῡ́νοιτο	ᾰ̓μῡ́νοισθον	ᾰ̓μῡνοίσθην	ᾰ̓μῡνοίμεθᾰ	ᾰ̓μῡ́νοισθε	ᾰ̓μῡ́νοιντο
	imperative		ᾰ̓μῡ́νου	ᾰ̓μῡνέσθω	ᾰ̓μῡ́νεσθον	ᾰ̓μῡνέσθων		ᾰ̓μῡ́νεσθε	ᾰ̓μῡνέσθων
		active				middle/passive
infinitive		ᾰ̓μῡ́νειν				ᾰ̓μῡ́νεσθαι
participle	m	ᾰ̓μῡ́νων				ᾰ̓μῡνόμενος
	f	ᾰ̓μῡ́νουσᾰ				ᾰ̓μῡνομένη
	n	ᾰ̓μῦνον				ᾰ̓μῡνόμενον
Notes:	This table gives Attic inflectional endings. For conjugation in dialects other than Attic, see Appendix:Ancient Greek dialectal conjugation.

Present: ᾰ̓μῡ́νω, ᾰ̓μῡ́νομαι (Epic)

number		singular			dual		plural
		first	second	third	second	third	first	second	third
active	indicative	ᾰ̓μῡ́νω	ᾰ̓μῡ́νεις	ᾰ̓μῡ́νει	ᾰ̓μῡ́νετον	ᾰ̓μῡ́νετον	ᾰ̓μῡ́νομεν	ᾰ̓μῡ́νετε	ᾰ̓μῡ́νουσῐ(ν)
	subjunctive	ᾰ̓μῡ́νω, ᾰ̓μῡ́νωμῐ	ᾰ̓μῡ́νῃς, ᾰ̓μῡ́νῃσθᾰ	ᾰ̓μῡ́νῃ, ᾰ̓μῡ́νῃσῐ	ᾰ̓μῡ́νητον	ᾰ̓μῡ́νητον	ᾰ̓μῡ́νωμεν	ᾰ̓μῡ́νητε	ᾰ̓μῡ́νωσῐ(ν)
	optative	ᾰ̓μῡ́νοιμῐ	ᾰ̓μῡ́νοισ(θᾰ)	ᾰ̓μῡ́νοι	ᾰ̓μῡ́νοιτον	ᾰ̓μῡνοίτην	ᾰ̓μῡ́νοιμεν	ᾰ̓μῡ́νοιτε	ᾰ̓μῡ́νοιεν
	imperative		ᾰ̓́μῡνε	ᾰ̓μῡνέτω	ᾰ̓μῡ́νετον	ᾰ̓μῡνέτων		ᾰ̓μῡ́νετε	ᾰ̓μῡνόντων
middle/ passive	indicative	ᾰ̓μῡ́νομαι	ᾰ̓μῡ́νεαι	ᾰ̓μῡ́νεται	ᾰ̓μῡ́νεσθον	ᾰ̓μῡ́νεσθον	ᾰ̓μῡνόμε(σ)θᾰ	ᾰ̓μῡ́νεσθε	ᾰ̓μῡ́νονται
	subjunctive	ᾰ̓μῡ́νωμαι	ᾰ̓μῡ́νηαι	ᾰ̓μῡ́νηται	ᾰ̓μῡ́νησθον	ᾰ̓μῡ́νησθον	ᾰ̓μῡνώμε(σ)θᾰ	ᾰ̓μῡ́νησθε	ᾰ̓μῡ́νωνται
	optative	ᾰ̓μῡνοίμην	ᾰ̓μῡ́νοιο	ᾰ̓μῡ́νοιτο	ᾰ̓μῡ́νοισθον	ᾰ̓μῡνοίσθην	ᾰ̓μῡνοίμε(σ)θᾰ	ᾰ̓μῡ́νοισθε	ᾰ̓μῡνοίᾰτο
	imperative		ᾰ̓μῡ́νεο	ᾰ̓μῡνέσθω	ᾰ̓μῡ́νεσθον	ᾰ̓μῡνέσθων		ᾰ̓μῡ́νεσθε	ᾰ̓μῡνέσθων
		active				middle/passive
infinitive		ᾰ̓μῡ́νειν / ᾰ̓μῡνέμεν(αι) / ᾰ̓μῡνμέναι				ᾰ̓μῡ́νεσθαι
participle	m	ᾰ̓μῡ́νων				ᾰ̓μῡνόμενος
	f	ᾰ̓μῡ́νουσᾰ				ᾰ̓μῡνομένη
	n	ᾰ̓μῦνον				ᾰ̓μῡνόμενον
Notes:	Dialects other than Attic are not well attested. Some forms are based on conjecture. Use with caution. For more details, see Appendix:Ancient Greek dialectal conjugation.

Imperfect: ἤμῡνον, ἠμῡνόμην (Epic, Attic, Ionic)

number		singular			dual		plural
		first	second	third	second	third	first	second	third
active	indicative	ἤμῡνον	ἤμῡνες	ἤμῡνε(ν)	ἠμῡ́νετον	ἠμῡνέτην	ἠμῡ́νομεν	ἠμῡ́νετε	ἤμῡνον
middle/ passive	indicative	ἠμῡνόμην	ἠμῡ́νου	ἠμῡ́νετο	ἠμῡ́νεσθον	ἠμῡνέσθην	ἠμῡνόμεθᾰ	ἠμῡ́νεσθε	ἠμῡ́νοντο
Notes:	This table gives Attic inflectional endings. For conjugation in dialects other than Attic, see Appendix:Ancient Greek dialectal conjugation.

Imperfect: ᾰ̓́μῡνον, ᾰ̓μῡνόμην (Epic)

number		singular			dual		plural
		first	second	third	second	third	first	second	third
active	indicative	ᾰ̓́μῡνον	ᾰ̓́μῡνες	ᾰ̓́μῡνε(ν)	ᾰ̓μῡ́νετον	ᾰ̓μῡνέτην	ᾰ̓μῡ́νομεν	ᾰ̓μῡ́νετε	ᾰ̓́μῡνον
middle/ passive	indicative	ᾰ̓μῡνόμην	ᾰ̓μῡ́νου	ᾰ̓μῡ́νετο	ᾰ̓μῡ́νεσθον	ᾰ̓μῡνέσθην	ᾰ̓μῡνόμε(σ)θᾰ	ᾰ̓μῡ́νεσθε	ᾰ̓μῡ́νοντο
Notes:	Dialects other than Attic are not well attested. Some forms are based on conjecture. Use with caution. For more details, see Appendix:Ancient Greek dialectal conjugation.

Future: ᾰ̓μῠνέω, ᾰ̓μῠνέομαι (Uncontracted)

number		singular			dual		plural
		first	second	third	second	third	first	second	third
active	indicative	ᾰ̓μῠνέω	ᾰ̓μῠνέεις	ᾰ̓μῠνέει	ᾰ̓μῠνέετον	ᾰ̓μῠνέετον	ᾰ̓μῠνέομεν	ᾰ̓μῠνέετε	ᾰ̓μῠνέουσῐ(ν)
active	optative	ᾰ̓μῠνέοιμῐ	ᾰ̓μῠνέοις	ᾰ̓μῠνέοι	ᾰ̓μῠνέοιτον	ᾰ̓μῠνεοίτην	ᾰ̓μῠνέοιμεν	ᾰ̓μῠνέοιτε	ᾰ̓μῠνέοιεν
middle	indicative	ᾰ̓μῠνέομαι	ᾰ̓μῠνέῃ / ᾰ̓μῠνέει	ᾰ̓μῠνέεται	ᾰ̓μῠνέεσθον	ᾰ̓μῠνέεσθον	ᾰ̓μῠνεόμεθᾰ	ᾰ̓μῠνέεσθε	ᾰ̓μῠνέονται
middle	optative	ᾰ̓μῠνεοίμην	ᾰ̓μῠνέοιο	ᾰ̓μῠνέοιτο	ᾰ̓μῠνέοισθον	ᾰ̓μῠνεοίσθην	ᾰ̓μῠνεοίμεθᾰ	ᾰ̓μῠνέοισθε	ᾰ̓μῠνέοιντο
		active			middle
infinitive		ᾰ̓μῠνέειν			ᾰ̓μῠνέεσθαι
participle	m	ᾰ̓μῠνέων			ᾰ̓μῠνεόμενος
	f	ᾰ̓μῠνέουσᾰ			ᾰ̓μῠνεομένη
	n	ᾰ̓μῠνέον			ᾰ̓μῠνεόμενον
Notes:	This table gives Attic inflectional endings. For conjugation in dialects other than Attic, see Appendix:Ancient Greek dialectal conjugation.

Future: ᾰ̓μῠνῶ, ᾰ̓μῠνοῦμαι (Contracted)

number		singular			dual		plural
		first	second	third	second	third	first	second	third
active	indicative	ᾰ̓μῠνῶ	ᾰ̓μῠνεῖς	ᾰ̓μῠνεῖ	ᾰ̓μῠνεῖτον	ᾰ̓μῠνεῖτον	ᾰ̓μῠνοῦμεν	ᾰ̓μῠνεῖτε	ᾰ̓μῠνοῦσῐ(ν)
active	optative	ᾰ̓μῠνοίην / ᾰ̓μῠνοῖμῐ	ᾰ̓μῠνοίης / ᾰ̓μῠνοῖς	ᾰ̓μῠνοίη / ᾰ̓μῠνοῖ	ᾰ̓μῠνοῖτον / ᾰ̓μῠνοίητον	ᾰ̓μῠνοίτην / ᾰ̓μῠνοιήτην	ᾰ̓μῠνοῖμεν / ᾰ̓μῠνοίημεν	ᾰ̓μῠνοῖτε / ᾰ̓μῠνοίητε	ᾰ̓μῠνοῖεν / ᾰ̓μῠνοίησᾰν
middle	indicative	ᾰ̓μῠνοῦμαι	ᾰ̓μῠνῇ	ᾰ̓μῠνεῖται	ᾰ̓μῠνεῖσθον	ᾰ̓μῠνεῖσθον	ᾰ̓μῠνούμεθᾰ	ᾰ̓μῠνεῖσθε	ᾰ̓μῠνοῦνται
middle	optative	ᾰ̓μῠνοίμην	ᾰ̓μῠνοῖο	ᾰ̓μῠνοῖτο	ᾰ̓μῠνοῖσθον	ᾰ̓μῠνοίσθην	ᾰ̓μῠνοίμεθᾰ	ᾰ̓μῠνοῖσθε	ᾰ̓μῠνοῖντο
		active			middle
infinitive		ᾰ̓μῠνεῖν			ᾰ̓μῠνεῖσθαι
participle	m	ᾰ̓μῠνῶν			ᾰ̓μῠνούμενος
	f	ᾰ̓μῠνοῦσᾰ			ᾰ̓μῠνουμένη
	n	ᾰ̓μῠνοῦν			ᾰ̓μῠνούμενον
Notes:	This table gives Attic inflectional endings. For conjugation in dialects other than Attic, see Appendix:Ancient Greek dialectal conjugation.

Aorist: ἤμῡνᾰ, ἠμῡνᾰ́μην (Epic, Attic, Ionic)

number		singular			dual		plural
		first	second	third	second	third	first	second	third
active	indicative	ἤμῡνᾰ	ἤμῡνᾰς	ἤμῡνε(ν)	ἠμῡ́νᾰτον	ἠμῡνᾰ́την	ἠμῡ́νᾰμεν	ἠμῡ́νᾰτε	ἤμῡνᾰν
	subjunctive	ἀμῡ́νω	ἀμῡ́νῃς	ἀμῡ́νῃ	ἀμῡ́νητον	ἀμῡ́νητον	ἀμῡ́νωμεν	ἀμῡ́νητε	ἀμῡ́νωσῐ(ν)
	optative	ἀμῡ́ναιμῐ	ἀμῡ́νειᾰς / ἀμῡ́ναις	ἀμῡ́νειε(ν) / ἀμῡ́ναι	ἀμῡ́ναιτον	ἀμῡναίτην	ἀμῡ́ναιμεν	ἀμῡ́ναιτε	ἀμῡ́νειᾰν / ἀμῡ́ναιεν
	imperative		ἄμῡνον	ἀμῡνᾰ́τω	ἀμῡ́νᾰτον	ἀμῡνᾰ́των		ἀμῡ́νᾰτε	ἀμῡνᾰ́ντων
middle	indicative	ἠμῡνᾰ́μην	ἠμῡ́νω	ἠμῡ́νᾰτο	ἠμῡ́νᾰσθον	ἠμῡνᾰ́σθην	ἠμῡνᾰ́μεθᾰ	ἠμῡ́νᾰσθε	ἠμῡ́νᾰντο
	subjunctive	ἀμῡ́νωμαι	ἀμῡ́νῃ	ἀμῡ́νηται	ἀμῡ́νησθον	ἀμῡ́νησθον	ἀμῡνώμεθᾰ	ἀμῡ́νησθε	ἀμῡ́νωνται
	optative	ἀμῡναίμην	ἀμῡ́ναιο	ἀμῡ́ναιτο	ἀμῡ́ναισθον	ἀμῡναίσθην	ἀμῡναίμεθᾰ	ἀμῡ́ναισθε	ἀμῡ́ναιντο
	imperative		ἄμῡναι	ἀμῡνᾰ́σθω	ἀμῡ́νᾰσθον	ἀμῡνᾰ́σθων		ἀμῡ́νᾰσθε	ἀμῡνᾰ́σθων
		active			middle
infinitive		ἀμῦναι			ἀμῡ́νᾰσθαι
participle	m	ἀμῡ́νᾱς			ἀμῡνᾰ́μενος
	f	ἀμῡ́νᾱσᾰ			ἀμῡνᾰμένη
	n	ἀμῦνᾰν			ἀμῡνᾰ́μενον
Notes:	This table gives Attic inflectional endings. For conjugation in dialects other than Attic, see Appendix:Ancient Greek dialectal conjugation.

Aorist: ἠμῡ́ναθον, ἠμῡναθόμην (Epic, Attic, Ionic)

number		singular			dual		plural
		first	second	third	second	third	first	second	third
active	indicative	ἠμῡ́ναθον	ἠμῡ́ναθες	ἠμῡ́ναθε(ν)	ἠμῡνάθετον	ἠμῡναθέτην	ἠμῡνάθομεν	ἠμῡνάθετε	ἠμῡ́ναθον
	subjunctive	ᾰ̓μῡνάθω	ᾰ̓μῡνάθῃς	ᾰ̓μῡνάθῃ	ᾰ̓μῡνάθητον	ᾰ̓μῡνάθητον	ᾰ̓μῡνάθωμεν	ᾰ̓μῡνάθητε	ᾰ̓μῡνάθωσῐ(ν)
	optative	ᾰ̓μῡνάθοιμῐ	ᾰ̓μῡνάθοις	ᾰ̓μῡνάθοι	ᾰ̓μῡνάθοιτον	ᾰ̓μῡναθοίτην	ᾰ̓μῡνάθοιμεν	ᾰ̓μῡνάθοιτε	ᾰ̓μῡνάθοιεν
	imperative		ᾰ̓μῡ́ναθε	ᾰ̓μῡναθέτω	ᾰ̓μῡνάθετον	ᾰ̓μῡναθέτων		ᾰ̓μῡνάθετε	ᾰ̓μῡναθόντων
middle	indicative	ἠμῡναθόμην	ἠμῡνάθου	ἠμῡνάθετο	ἠμῡνάθεσθον	ἠμῡναθέσθην	ἠμῡναθόμεθᾰ	ἠμῡνάθεσθε	ἠμῡνάθοντο
	subjunctive	ᾰ̓μῡνάθωμαι	ᾰ̓μῡνάθῃ	ᾰ̓μῡνάθηται	ᾰ̓μῡνάθησθον	ᾰ̓μῡνάθησθον	ᾰ̓μῡναθώμεθᾰ	ᾰ̓μῡνάθησθε	ᾰ̓μῡνάθωνται
	optative	ᾰ̓μῡναθοίμην	ᾰ̓μῡνάθοιο	ᾰ̓μῡνάθοιτο	ᾰ̓μῡνάθοισθον	ᾰ̓μῡναθοίσθην	ᾰ̓μῡναθοίμεθᾰ	ᾰ̓μῡνάθοισθε	ᾰ̓μῡνάθοιντο
	imperative		ᾰ̓μῡναθοῦ	ᾰ̓μῡναθέσθω	ᾰ̓μῡνάθεσθον	ᾰ̓μῡναθέσθων		ᾰ̓μῡνάθεσθε	ᾰ̓μῡναθέσθων
		active			middle
infinitive		ᾰ̓μῡναθεῖν			ᾰ̓μῡναθέσθαι
participle	m	ᾰ̓μῡναθών			ᾰ̓μῡναθόμενος
	f	ᾰ̓μῡναθοῦσᾰ			ᾰ̓μῡναθομένη
	n	ᾰ̓μῡναθόν			ᾰ̓μῡναθόμενον
Notes:	This table gives Attic inflectional endings. For conjugation in dialects other than Attic, see Appendix:Ancient Greek dialectal conjugation.

Derived terms

ἄμῡνᾰ (ámūnă)
ἀμῡ́νᾰνδρος (amū́năndros)
Ἀμύντᾱς (Amúntās)
ἀμῡ́ντειρᾱ (amū́nteirā)
ἀμῡντήρ (amūntḗr)
ἀμῡντήριος (amūntḗrios)
ἀμῡ́ντης (amū́ntēs)
ἀμῡντῐκός (amūntĭkós)
ἀμῡντρόν (amūntrón)
ἀμῡ́ντωρ (amū́ntōr)
ἀπαμῡ́νω (apamū́nō)
ἐπαμῡ́νω (epamū́nō)
περιαμῡ́νω (periamū́nō)
προσαμῡ́νω (prosamū́nō)
συνεπαμῡ́νω (sunepamū́nō)

Descendants

→ Greek: αμύνομαι (amýnomai) (learned)
→ Translingual: Amynodontidae (extinct family of rhino-like animals)
→ Latin: Amyntas (Greek and Hellenistic male given name, borne by a number of notable kings and generals)

References

“ἀμύνω”, in Liddell & Scott (1940) A Greek–English Lexicon, Oxford: Clarendon Press
“ἀμύνω”, in Liddell & Scott (1889) An Intermediate Greek–English Lexicon, New York: Harper & Brothers
“ἀμύνω”, in Autenrieth, Georg (1891) A Homeric Dictionary for Schools and Colleges, New York: Harper and Brothers
ἀμύνω in Bailly, Anatole (1935) Le Grand Bailly: Dictionnaire grec-français, Paris: Hachette
Bauer, Walter et al. (2001) A Greek–English Lexicon of the New Testament and Other Early Christian Literature, Third edition, Chicago: University of Chicago Press
ἀμύνω in Cunliffe, Richard J. (1924) A Lexicon of the Homeric Dialect: Expanded Edition, Norman: University of Oklahoma Press, published 1963
ἀμύνω in the Diccionario Griego–Español en línea (2006–2025)
“ἀμύνω”, in Slater, William J. (1969) Lexicon to Pindar, Berlin: Walter de Gruyter
Beekes, Robert S. P. (2010) Etymological Dictionary of Greek (Leiden Indo-European Etymological Dictionary Series; 10), with the assistance of Lucien van Beek, Leiden, Boston: Brill, →ISBN