ἄνθρωπος

See also: άνθρωπος

Ancient Greek

Alternative forms

ἅνθρωπος (hánthrōpos) — Attic, crasis with definite article ὁ (ho)
ὥνθρωπος (hṓnthrōpos) — Ionic, crasis with definite article ὁ (ho)
ἀνθρωπώ (anthrōpṓ) — Laconian
𐠀𐠰𐠦𐠡𐠩 (a-to-ro-po-se) — Cypriot

Etymology

First attested in Hellenic as Mycenaean Greek 𐀀𐀵𐀫𐀦 (a-to-ro-qo), of uncertain origin. Scholars used to consider it to be a compound from ἀνήρ (anḗr, “man”) and ὤψ (ṓps, “face, appearance, look”): thus, "he who looks like a man". However, a δ (d) would be expected to develop by epenthesis, as in the genitive ἀνδρός (andrós), yielding *ἀνδρωπος (*andrōpos). Rosén defends this etymology, positing that the original laryngeal *h₃ in the root for ὤψ (ṓps) (from Proto-Indo-European *h₃ókʷs) changed the δ to its aspirated counterpart θ even across the intervening ρ.^[1]

Beekes argues that since no convincing Indo-European etymology has been found, the word is probably of Pre-Greek origin; he connects the word with the word δρώψ (drṓps, “man”). According to Beekes (2009:xxix), "Shift of aspiration is found in some cases: θριγκός / τριγχός, ἀθραγένη / ἀνδράχνη".^[2]

Garnier proposes a derivation from Proto-Indo-European *n̥dʰéreh₃kʷós (“that which is below”) (from *(H)n̥dʰér + *-h₃kʷ-o-), hence "earthly, human",^[3] for this compare with Proto-Indo-European *dʰéǵʰōm (“earth”) whence Latin homō, Old Lithuanian žmuõ (“man”), Old English guma (“man”).

The word is treated in Plato's Cratylus.^[4]

Pronunciation

(5^th BCE Attic) IPA^(key): /án.tʰrɔː.pos/
(1^st CE Egyptian) IPA^(key): /ˈan.tʰro.pos/
(4^th CE Koine) IPA^(key): /ˈan.θro.pos/
(10^th CE Byzantine) IPA^(key): /ˈan.θro.pos/
(15^th CE Constantinopolitan) IPA^(key): /ˈan.θro.pos/

Noun

ἄνθρωπος • (ánthrōpos) m or f (genitive ἀνθρώπου); second declension (Epic, Attic, Ionic, Doric, Koine)

human being, person (as differentiated from gods, beasts, etc.); man, woman
(philosophical) man, humanity
(sometimes in the plural) all human beings, mankind
(in feminine, derogatory) female slave

Declension

Second declension of ὁ, ἡ ᾰ̓́νθρωπος; τοῦ, τῆς ᾰ̓νθρώπου (Attic)

Case / #	Singular	Dual	Plural
Nominative	ὁ, ἡ ᾰ̓́νθρωπος ho, hē ắnthrōpos	τὼ ᾰ̓νθρώπω tṑ ănthrṓpō	οἱ, αἱ ᾰ̓́νθρωποι hoi, hai ắnthrōpoi
Genitive	τοῦ, τῆς ᾰ̓νθρώπου toû, tês ănthrṓpou	τοῖν ᾰ̓νθρώποιν toîn ănthrṓpoin	τῶν ᾰ̓νθρώπων tôn ănthrṓpōn
Dative	τῷ, τῇ ᾰ̓νθρώπῳ tōî, tēî ănthrṓpōi	τοῖν ᾰ̓νθρώποιν toîn ănthrṓpoin	τοῖς, ταῖς ᾰ̓νθρώποις toîs, taîs ănthrṓpois
Accusative	τὸν, τὴν ᾰ̓́νθρωπον tòn, tḕn ắnthrōpon	τὼ ᾰ̓νθρώπω tṑ ănthrṓpō	τοὺς, τᾱ̀ς ᾰ̓νθρώπους toùs, tā̀s ănthrṓpous
Vocative	ᾰ̓́νθρωπε ắnthrōpe	ᾰ̓νθρώπω ănthrṓpō	ᾰ̓́νθρωποι ắnthrōpoi
Notes:	This table gives Attic inflectional endings. For declension in other dialects, see Appendix:Ancient Greek dialectal declension.

Second declension of ὁ, ἡ ἄνθρωπος; τοῦ, τῆς ἀνθρώπου (Ionic)

Case / #	Singular	Dual	Plural
Nominative	ὁ, ἡ ἄνθρωπος ho, hē ánthrōpos	τὼ ἀνθρώπω tṑ anthrṓpō	οἱ, αἱ ἄνθρωποι hoi, hai ánthrōpoi
Genitive	τοῦ, τῆς ἀνθρώπου toû, tês anthrṓpou	τοῖν ἀνθρώποιν toîn anthrṓpoin	τῶν ἀνθρώπων tôn anthrṓpōn
Dative	τῷ, τῇ ἀνθρώπῳ tōî, tēî anthrṓpōi	τοῖν ἀνθρώποιν toîn anthrṓpoin	τοῖσῐ / τοῖσῐν ἀνθρώποισῐ / ἀνθρώποισῐν / ἀνθρώποις toîsĭ(n) anthrṓpoisĭ(n) / anthrṓpois
Accusative	τὸν, τὴν ἄνθρωπον tòn, tḕn ánthrōpon	τὼ ἀνθρώπω tṑ anthrṓpō	τοὺς, τᾱ̀ς ἀνθρώπους toùs, tā̀s anthrṓpous
Vocative	ἄνθρωπε ánthrōpe	ἀνθρώπω anthrṓpō	ἄνθρωποι ánthrōpoi
Notes:	Dialects other than Attic are not well attested. Some forms may be based on conjecture. Use with caution.

Second declension of ἄνθρωπος; ἀνθρώπου (Epic)

Case / #	Singular	Dual	Plural
Nominative	ἄνθρωπος ánthrōpos	ἀνθρώπω anthrṓpō	ἄνθρωποι ánthrōpoi
Genitive	ἀνθρώπου / ἀνθρωποῖο / ἀνθρώποιο / ἀνθρωπόο / ἀνθρώποο anthrṓpou / anthrōpoîo / anthrṓpoio / anthrōpóo / anthrṓpoo	ἀνθρώποιν / ἀνθρώποιῐν anthrṓpoi(ĭ)n	ἀνθρώπων anthrṓpōn
Dative	ἀνθρώπῳ anthrṓpōi	ἀνθρώποιν / ἀνθρώποιῐν anthrṓpoi(ĭ)n	ἀνθρώποισῐ / ἀνθρώποισῐν / ἀνθρώποις anthrṓpoisĭ(n) / anthrṓpois
Accusative	ἄνθρωπον ánthrōpon	ἀνθρώπω anthrṓpō	ἀνθρώπους anthrṓpous
Vocative	ἄνθρωπε ánthrōpe	ἀνθρώπω anthrṓpō	ἄνθρωποι ánthrōpoi
Notes:	Dialects other than Attic are not well attested. Some forms may be based on conjecture. Use with caution.

(female slave):

Second declension of ἡ ἄνθρωπος; τῆς ἀνθρώπου (Attic)

Case / #	Singular	Dual	Plural
Nominative	ἡ ἄνθρωπος hē ánthrōpos	τὼ ἀνθρώπω tṑ anthrṓpō	αἱ ἄνθρωποι hai ánthrōpoi
Genitive	τῆς ἀνθρώπου tês anthrṓpou	τοῖν ἀνθρώποιν toîn anthrṓpoin	τῶν ἀνθρώπων tôn anthrṓpōn
Dative	τῇ ἀνθρώπῳ tēî anthrṓpōi	τοῖν ἀνθρώποιν toîn anthrṓpoin	ταῖς ἀνθρώποις taîs anthrṓpois
Accusative	τὴν ἄνθρωπον tḕn ánthrōpon	τὼ ἀνθρώπω tṑ anthrṓpō	τᾱ̀ς ἀνθρώπους tā̀s anthrṓpous
Vocative	ἄνθρωπε ánthrōpe	ἀνθρώπω anthrṓpō	ἄνθρωποι ánthrōpoi
Notes:	This table gives Attic inflectional endings. For declension in other dialects, see Appendix:Ancient Greek dialectal declension.

Second declension of ἡ ἄνθρωπος; τῆς ἀνθρώπου (Ionic)

Case / #	Singular	Dual	Plural
Nominative	ἡ ἄνθρωπος hē ánthrōpos	τὼ ἀνθρώπω tṑ anthrṓpō	αἱ ἄνθρωποι hai ánthrōpoi
Genitive	τῆς ἀνθρώπου tês anthrṓpou	τοῖν ἀνθρώποιν toîn anthrṓpoin	τῶν ἀνθρώπων tôn anthrṓpōn
Dative	τῇ ἀνθρώπῳ tēî anthrṓpōi	τοῖν ἀνθρώποιν toîn anthrṓpoin	τῇσῐ / τῇσῐν ἀνθρώποισῐ / ἀνθρώποισῐν / ἀνθρώποις tēîsĭ(n) anthrṓpoisĭ(n) / anthrṓpois
Accusative	τὴν ἄνθρωπον tḕn ánthrōpon	τὼ ἀνθρώπω tṑ anthrṓpō	τᾱ̀ς ἀνθρώπους tā̀s anthrṓpous
Vocative	ἄνθρωπε ánthrōpe	ἀνθρώπω anthrṓpō	ἄνθρωποι ánthrōpoi
Notes:	Dialects other than Attic are not well attested. Some forms may be based on conjecture. Use with caution.