οὐροβόρος

Ancient Greek

Etymology

A compound of οὐρά (ourá, “tail”) + -βόρος (-bóros, “-devouring”, “-swallowing”), which is derived from the verb βιβρώσκω (bibrṓskō, “to eat up”).

Pronunciation

(5^th BCE Attic) IPA^(key): /oː.ro.bó.ros/
(1^st CE Egyptian) IPA^(key): /u.roˈbo.ros/
(4^th CE Koine) IPA^(key): /u.roˈβo.ros/
(10^th CE Byzantine) IPA^(key): /u.roˈvo.ros/
(15^th CE Constantinopolitan) IPA^(key): /u.roˈvo.ros/

Adjective

οὐροβόρος • (ourobóros) m, f (neuter οὐροβόρον); second declension

devouring its tail

Inflection

Second declension of οὐροβόρος; οὐροβόρον (Attic)

Number	Singular		Dual		Plural
Case/Gender	Masculine / Feminine	Neuter	Masculine / Feminine	Neuter	Masculine / Feminine	Neuter
Nominative	οὐροβόρος ourobóros	οὐροβόρον ourobóron	οὐροβόρω ourobórō	οὐροβόρω ourobórō	οὐροβόροι ourobóroi	οὐροβόρᾰ ourobóra
Genitive	οὐροβόρου ourobórou	οὐροβόρου ourobórou	οὐροβόροιν ourobóroin	οὐροβόροιν ourobóroin	οὐροβόρων ourobórōn	οὐροβόρων ourobórōn
Dative	οὐροβόρῳ ourobórōi	οὐροβόρῳ ourobórōi	οὐροβόροιν ourobóroin	οὐροβόροιν ourobóroin	οὐροβόροις ourobórois	οὐροβόροις ourobórois
Accusative	οὐροβόρον ourobóron	οὐροβόρον ourobóron	οὐροβόρω ourobórō	οὐροβόρω ourobórō	οὐροβόρους ourobórous	οὐροβόρᾰ ourobóra
Vocative	οὐροβόρε ourobóre	οὐροβόρον ourobóron	οὐροβόρω ourobórō	οὐροβόρω ourobórō	οὐροβόροι ourobóroi	οὐροβόρᾰ ourobóra
Derived forms	Adverb		Comparative		Superlative
Derived forms	οὐροβόρως ourobórōs		οὐροβορώτερος ouroborṓteros		οὐροβορώτᾰτος ouroborṓtatos
Notes:	This table gives Attic inflectional endings. For declension in other dialects, see Appendix:Ancient Greek dialectal declension.

Descendants

English: ouroboros
Italian: uroboro