ἁ-

See also: α-, ά-, and ἀ-

Ancient Greek

Alternative forms

ἀ- (a-), ὀ- (o-)

Etymology

From Proto-Hellenic *hə-, from Proto-Indo-European *sm̥-, zero-grade of *sem-. The form without the rough breathing is due to Grassmann's law or analogy.

Pronunciation

(5^th BCE Attic) IPA^(key): /ha/
(1^st CE Egyptian) IPA^(key): /(h)a/
(4^th CE Koine) IPA^(key): /a/
(10^th CE Byzantine) IPA^(key): /a/
(15^th CE Constantinopolitan) IPA^(key): /a/

Prefix

ᾰ̔- • (hă-)

The alpha copulativum, used to express union or likeness.

Derived terms

Ancient Greek terms prefixed with ἁ-

ἀδελφός

ἄκοιτις

ἀλέκτωρ

ἀτάλαντος

References

“ἁ-”, in Liddell & Scott (1940) A Greek–English Lexicon, Oxford: Clarendon Press
Smyth, Herbert Weir (1920) “Part III: Formation of Words”, in A Greek grammar for colleges, Cambridge: American Book Company, § 885.4