μέγας

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Ancient Greek

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Etymology

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From conflation of Proto-Indo-European *méǵh₂s (great) with its derivative *meǵh₂los (great).[1] Cognates include Sanskrit मह (mahá, great, mighty, strong, abundant), Middle Persian ms (meh, great) (< *mas), (Persian مه (meh)), Avestan 𐬨𐬀𐬰- (maz-, large), Tocharian B māka (large), Hittite [script needed] (mēkkis, much, many, numerous), Old Armenian մեծ (mec), Old Irish maige (great, large), Albanian madh (large), Latin magnus and Old English miċel (English much).

Pronunciation

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Adjective

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μέγᾰς (mégasm (feminine μεγάλη, neuter μέγᾰ); first/second declension

  1. big, large
  2. great, mighty, loud
  3. marvelous, awesome

Declension

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Descendants

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  • Byzantine Greek: μέγας (mégas)

References

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  1. ^ Beekes, Robert S. P. (2010) “μέγας”, in Etymological Dictionary of Greek (Leiden Indo-European Etymological Dictionary Series; 10), with the assistance of Lucien van Beek, Leiden, Boston: Brill, →ISBN, pages 917-8

Further reading

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Greek

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Alternative forms

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Etymology

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From Ancient Greek μέγας, from Proto-Indo-European *méǵh₂s (great).

Pronunciation

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  • IPA(key): /ˈme.ɣas/
  • Audio:(file)
  • Hyphenation: μέ‧γας

Adjective

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μέγας (mégasm (feminine μεγάλη, neuter μέγα)

  1. (formal, pompous) great, very important
    • 1959 Odysseas Elytis. poem: Άξιον Εστί (To Axion Esti "It Is Worthy")
      ΑΥΤΟΣ
      ο κόσμος ο μικρός, ο μέγας!
      AFTOS
      o kósmos o mikrós, o mégas!
      THIS
      the small world, the great!
      The Collected Poems of Odysseus Elytis @books.google
    είναι μέγας νομικόςeínai mégas nomikóshe is a great legal mind
    Synonym: τρανός (tranós)
    1. (ironically)
      είναι μέγας απατεώνeínai mégas apateónhe is a huge conman
      μέγα λάθος!méga láthos!big mistake!
  2. (for important places and historical figures): with capital MΜέγας (Mégas)
    Μέγας Αλέξανδρος / o Αλέξανδρος ο ΜέγαςMégas Aléxandros / o Aléxandros o MégasAlexander the Great
    Μεγάλη Αικατερίνη / η Αικατερίνη η ΜεγάληMegáli Aikateríni / i Aikateríni i MegáliCatherine the Great

Declension

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Derived terms

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