ἐν

See also: εν, ἕν, ἔν, and Appendix:Variations of "en"

Ancient Greek

Alternative forms

ἐνῐ́ (ení), ἐνῑ́ (enī́), ἔνι (éni), εἰν (ein), εἰνῐ́ (einí) – Epic, as necessary for meter
ἔν (én) – accented

Etymology

From Proto-Indo-European *h₁én, cognate with Latin in, Old Armenian ի (i), English in.

Pronunciation

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

The final nasal assimilated to a following stop or nasal, so that the word was pronounced as if it were spelled ἐμ /em/ if the next word began in a labial β, μ, π, φ, ψ, or ἐγ [eŋ] if the next word began in a velar γ, κ, ξ, χ.

Preposition

ἐν • (en) (governs the genitive, dative, and accusative)

(location) in, on, at; (with plural) among
1. (elliptical, with genitive) in the house or the land of
2. surrounded by; wearing
  - 800 BCE – 600 BCE, Homer, Iliad 15.192:
    Ζεὺς δ᾽ ἔλαχ᾽ οὐρανὸν εὐρὺν ἐν αἰθέρι καὶ νεφέλῃσι
    Zeùs d᾽ élakh᾽ ouranòn eurùn en aithéri kaì nephélēisi
    [Poseidon answering Iris:]
    and Zeus got the wide heaven surrounded by clear air and clouds
  - Her., 2 159:
    ἐν τῇ δὲ ἐσθῆτι ἔτυχε ταῦτα κατεργασάμενος, ἀνέθηκε τῷ Ἀπόλλωνι πέμψας ἐς Βραγχίδας τὰς Μιλησίων.
    en têi dè esthêti étukhe taûta katergasámenos, anéthēke tôi Apóllōni pémpsas es Brankhídas tàs Milēsíōn.
    The clothes that he happened to be wearing when he achieved this, Necos dedicated to Apollo and sent to the Branchidae of Miletos.
(time) in, at, or during the time of

Derived terms

ἐν- (en-) & compounds

Descendants

Greek: εν (en)

ἐν