ἐλαχύς

Ancient Greek

Alternative forms

  • ἔλαχος (élakhos)

Etymology

From Proto-Indo-European *h₁léngʰus (light). Cognates include Sanskrit लघु (laghu), Latin levis, Old Church Slavonic льгъкъ (lĭgŭkŭ), Old English lēoht (English light).

Pronunciation

 

Adjective

ἐλᾰχῠ́ς (elakhús) m (feminine ἐλᾰ́χειᾰ, neuter ἐλᾰχῠ́); first/third declension

  1. small, short, mean, little
    • 7th-6th centuries BC, Homeric Hymn to Apollo 197:
      τῇσι μὲν οὔτ᾽ αἰσχρὴ μεταμέλπεται οὔτ᾽ ἐλάχεια, ἀλλὰ μάλα μεγάλη τε ἰδεῖν καὶ εἶδος ἀγητή
      têisi mèn oút᾽ aiskhrḕ metamélpetai oút᾽ elákheia, allà mála megálē te ideîn kaì eîdos agētḗ
      And among them sings one, not mean nor puny, but tall to look upon and enviable in mien.

Inflection

This is one of the two adjectives in -ύς, -εῖα, -ύ, along with λιγύς (ligús), that have a recessive accent in the feminine. See also θῆλυς (thêlus), ἥμισυς (hḗmisus).

Synonyms

Derived terms

  • ἐλαχύνωτος (elakhúnōtos)
  • ἐλαχυπτέρυξ (elakhuptérux)

References

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