λύω
Ancient Greek
Etymology
From Proto-Indo-European *lewh₁- (“to cut off, separate, free”), (which Beekes reconstructs as *lh₁u-). Cognates include Latin luō (“expiate, pay”), Sanskrit लून (lūna, “sever, cut forth, destroy, annihilate”), English loose, and possibly Old Armenian լուծանեմ (lucanem) and Albanian lirë.[1]
According to Beekes the stem vowel was originally short (λῠ-), to be lengthened only later in Attic (and sometimes in Homer; λῡ-) due to the influence of a laryngeal. The upsilon remains short (ῠ) before temporal endings beginning with <κ, θ, μ> and at all paragoga (derivatives). But compounds' prosody, as for λῡ́ω.
Derivatives, from stems λῠσ-, λῠσῐ- (compounds with λῡσῐ-), λῠτ-.
Unrelated to κωλῡ́ω (kōlū́ō, “prevent”), ὄλλῡμῐ (óllūmi, “destroy, lose”) or λύσσᾰ (lússa, “rage”).
Pronunciation
- (5th BCE Attic) IPA(key): /ly̌ː.ɔː/
- (1st CE Egyptian) IPA(key): /ˈly.o/
- (4th CE Koine) IPA(key): /ˈly.o/
- (10th CE Byzantine) IPA(key): /ˈly.o/
- (15th CE Constantinopolitan) IPA(key): /ˈli.o/
Verb
λῡ́ω • (lū́ō)
- to loose, loosen, untie
- to slacken
- to unbend
- to set free, release
- to redeem
- to dissolve, sever
- to break (up), destroy
- to abrogate, annul
- to atone, amend
- to profit, to be useful
- to discharge, fulfill, pay off
Inflection
number | singular | dual | plural | ||||||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
first | second | third | second | third | first | second | third | ||||||
active | indicative | λῡ́ω | λῡ́εις | λῡ́ει | λῡ́ετον | λῡ́ετον | λῡ́ομεν | λῡ́ετε | λῡ́ουσῐ(ν) | ||||
subjunctive | λῡ́ω | λῡ́ῃς | λῡ́ῃ | λῡ́ητον | λῡ́ητον | λῡ́ωμεν | λῡ́ητε | λῡ́ωσῐ(ν) | |||||
optative | λῡ́οιμῐ | λῡ́οις | λῡ́οι | λῡ́οιτον | λῡοίτην | λῡ́οιμεν | λῡ́οιτε | λῡ́οιεν | |||||
imperative | λῦε | λῡέτω | λῡ́ετον | λῡέτων | λῡ́ετε | λῡόντων | |||||||
middle/ passive |
indicative | λῡ́ομαι | λῡ́ῃ, λῡ́ει |
λῡ́εται | λῡ́εσθον | λῡ́εσθον | λῡόμεθᾰ | λῡ́εσθε | λῡ́ονται | ||||
subjunctive | λῡ́ωμαι | λῡ́ῃ | λῡ́ηται | λῡ́ησθον | λῡ́ησθον | λῡώμεθᾰ | λῡ́ησθε | λῡ́ωνται | |||||
optative | λῡοίμην | λῡ́οιο | λῡ́οιτο | λῡ́οισθον | λῡοίσθην | λῡοίμεθᾰ | λῡ́οισθε | λῡ́οιντο | |||||
imperative | λῡ́ου | λῡέσθω | λῡ́εσθον | λῡέσθων | λῡ́εσθε | λῡέσθων | |||||||
active | middle/passive | ||||||||||||
infinitive | λῡ́ειν | λῡ́εσθαι | |||||||||||
participle | m | λῡ́ων | λῡόμενος | ||||||||||
f | λῡ́ουσᾰ | λῡομένη | |||||||||||
n | λῦον | λῡόμενον | |||||||||||
Notes: | This table gives Attic inflectional endings. For conjugation in dialects other than Attic, see Appendix:Ancient Greek dialectal conjugation.
|
number | singular | dual | plural | ||||||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
first | second | third | second | third | first | second | third | ||||||
active | indicative | ἔλῡον | ἔλῡες | ἔλῡε(ν) | ἐλῡ́ετον | ἐλῡέτην | ἐλῡ́ομεν | ἐλῡ́ετε | ἔλῡον | ||||
middle/ passive |
indicative | ἐλῡόμην | ἐλῡ́ου | ἐλῡ́ετο | ἐλῡ́εσθον | ἐλῡέσθην | ἐλῡόμεθᾰ | ἐλῡ́εσθε | ἐλῡ́οντο | ||||
Notes: | This table gives Attic inflectional endings. For conjugation in dialects other than Attic, see Appendix:Ancient Greek dialectal conjugation.
|
number | singular | dual | plural | ||||||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
first | second | third | second | third | first | second | third | ||||||
active | indicative | λῦον | λῦες | λῦε(ν) | λῡ́ετον | λῡέτην | λῡ́ομεν | λῡ́ετε | λῦον | ||||
middle/ passive |
indicative | λῡόμην | λῡ́ου | λῡ́ετο | λῡ́εσθον | λῡέσθην | λῡόμε(σ)θᾰ | λῡ́εσθε | λῡ́οντο | ||||
Notes: | Dialects other than Attic are not well attested. Some forms are based on conjecture. Use with caution. For more details, see Appendix:Ancient Greek dialectal conjugation.
|
number | singular | dual | plural | ||||||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
first | second | third | second | third | first | second | third | ||||||
active | indicative | λῡ́σω | λῡ́σεις | λῡ́σει | λῡ́σετον | λῡ́σετον | λῡ́σομεν | λῡ́σετε | λῡ́σουσῐ(ν) | ||||
optative | λῡ́σοιμῐ | λῡ́σοις | λῡ́σοι | λῡ́σοιτον | λῡσοίτην | λῡ́σοιμεν | λῡ́σοιτε | λῡ́σοιεν | |||||
middle | indicative | λῡ́σομαι | λῡ́σῃ, λῡ́σει |
λῡ́σεται | λῡ́σεσθον | λῡ́σεσθον | λῡσόμεθᾰ | λῡ́σεσθε | λῡ́σονται | ||||
optative | λῡσοίμην | λῡ́σοιο | λῡ́σοιτο | λῡ́σοισθον | λῡσοίσθην | λῡσοίμεθᾰ | λῡ́σοισθε | λῡ́σοιντο | |||||
passive | indicative | λῠθήσομαι | λῠθήσῃ | λῠθήσεται | λῠθήσεσθον | λῠθήσεσθον | λῠθησόμεθᾰ | λῠθήσεσθε | λῠθήσονται | ||||
optative | λῠθησοίμην | λῠθήσοιο | λῠθήσοιτο | λῠθήσοισθον | λῠθησοίσθην | λῠθησοίμεθᾰ | λῠθήσοισθε | λῠθήσοιντο | |||||
active | middle | passive | |||||||||||
infinitive | λῡ́σειν | λῡ́σεσθαι | λῠθήσεσθαι | ||||||||||
participle | m | λῡ́σων | λῡσόμενος | λῠθησόμενος | |||||||||
f | λῡ́σουσᾰ | λῡσομένη | λῠθησομένη | ||||||||||
n | λῦσον | λῡσόμενον | λῠθησόμενον | ||||||||||
Notes: | This table gives Attic inflectional endings. For conjugation in dialects other than Attic, see Appendix:Ancient Greek dialectal conjugation.
|
number | singular | dual | plural | ||||||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
first | second | third | second | third | first | second | third | ||||||
active | indicative | ἐλελῠ́κειν, ἐλελῠ́κη |
ἐλελῠ́κεις, ἐλελῠ́κης |
ἐλελῠ́κει(ν) | ἐλελῠ́κετον | ἐλελῠκέτην | ἐλελῠ́κεμεν | ἐλελῠ́κετε | ἐλελῠ́κεσᾰν | ||||
middle/ passive |
indicative | ἐλελῠ́μην | ἐλέλῠσο | ἐλέλῠτο | ἐλέλῠσθον | ἐλελῠ́σθην | ἐλελῠ́μεθᾰ | ἐλέλῠσθε | ἐλέλῠντο | ||||
Notes: | This table gives Attic inflectional endings. For conjugation in dialects other than Attic, see Appendix:Ancient Greek dialectal conjugation.
|
number | singular | dual | plural | ||||||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
first | second | third | second | third | first | second | third | ||||||
middle/ passive |
indicative | λελῡ́σομαι | λελῡ́σῃ, λελῡ́σει |
λελῡ́σεται | λελῡ́σεσθον | λελῡ́σεσθον | λελῡσόμεθᾰ | λελῡ́σεσθε | λελῡ́σονται | ||||
optative | λελῡσοίμην | λελῡ́σοιο | λελῡ́σοιτο | λελῡ́σοισθον | λελῡσοίσθην | λελῡσοίμεθᾰ | λελῡ́σοισθε | λελῡ́σοιντο | |||||
middle/passive | |||||||||||||
infinitive | λελῡ́σεσθαι | ||||||||||||
participle | m | λελῡσόμενος | |||||||||||
f | λελῡσομένη | ||||||||||||
n | λελῡσόμενον | ||||||||||||
Notes: | This table gives Attic inflectional endings. For conjugation in dialects other than Attic, see Appendix:Ancient Greek dialectal conjugation.
|
Derived terms
expressions:
- τέλη λύειν (télē lúein, “pay one's dues”)
Derivatives from λῡ́ω (and see their compounds):
Participles
- active: λῡ́ων, λῡ́σων, λῡ́σᾱς, λελῠκώς
- mediopassive: λῡόμενος, λῡσόμενος/λῠθησόμενος, λῡσᾰ́μενος/λῠθείς, λελῠμένος
Verbal adjectives
From stems λῠσ- λῡσ-
- λῠ́σῐμος (lúsimos, “able to loose or relieve”)
- λῠ́σῐς f (lúsis, “releasing, solution”)
- λῡσῐτελέω (lūsiteléō, “to solve expenses, to profit”)
- λῡσῐτελής (lūsitelḗs, “solving expenses, profitable”)
- and see λῡσῐ- (lūsi-)
From stem λῠτ
- ἄλῠτος (álutos, “not to be loosed”)
- λῠ́ται m pl (lútai)
- Λῠταῖος (Lutaîos, “title of Poseidon”)
- λῠ́τειρα (lúteira, “feminine of λυτήρ”)
- λῠτέον n (lutéon, “one must refute”)
- λῠτέος (lutéos, “one must solve”)
- λῠτήρ m (lutḗr, “one who looses, deliverer”)
- λῠτηριάς f (lutēriás, “λύτειρα”)
- λῠτήριος (lutḗrios, “loosing, delivering”)
- λῠτῐκός (lutikós, “able to loose, laxative”)
- λῠτός (lutós, “that may be untied”)
- λῠ́τρον n (lútron, “price of release”)
- λῠτρόω (lutróō, “release/hold to ransom”) and its derivatives
- λῠ́τωρ (lútōr, “λυτήρ”)
Also
- λῦμα n (lûma, “2nd meaning: pledge, security”)
Compounds with λῡ́ω (and see their Derived terms):
- ᾰ̓νᾰλῡ́ω (analū́ō, “to unsettle, unloose”) or ἀλλῡ́ω
- ἀντᾰνᾰλῡ́ω (antanalū́ō, “to counteract”)
- ᾰ̓πολῡ́ω (apolū́ō, “to loose from”)
- ᾰ̓ποδῐᾰλῡ́ω (apodialū́ō, “to dissipate”)
- δῐᾰλῡ́ω (dialū́ō, “to loose”)
- ἐκλῡ́ω (eklū́ō, “to set free”)
- ἐνᾰπολῡ́ω (enapolū́ō, “to acquit”)
- ἐνδῐᾰλῡ́ω (endialū́ō, “to loosen, disperse”)
- ἐξᾰνᾰλῡ́ω (exanalū́ō, “to set free”)
- ἐπᾰνᾰλῡ́ω (epanalū́ō, “to return”)
- ἐπᾰπολῡ́ω (epapolū́ō, “to discharge against”)
- ἐπῐδῐᾰλῡ́ω (epidialū́ō, “to come as a relief to”)
- ἐπικᾰτᾰλῡ́ω (epikatalū́ō, “to reduce yet further”)
- ἐπῐλῡ́ω (epilū́ō, “to loose, untie”)
- κᾰτᾰλῡ́ω (katalū́ō, “to destroy”)
- πᾰρᾰλῡ́ω (paralū́ō, “to detach, weaken”)
- περῐλῡ́ω (perilū́ō, “to loosen about”)
- προᾰπολῡ́ω (proapolū́ō, “to dismiss before”)
- προδῐᾰλῡ́ω (prodialū́ō, “to dissolve”)
- προεπῐλῡ́ω (proepilū́ō, “to solve previously”)
- προκᾰτᾰλῡ́ω (prokatalū́ō, “to break up, annul beforehand”)
- προλῡ́ω (prolū́ō, “to undo, refute before”)
- προσᾰνᾰλῡ́ω (prosanalū́ō, “to break up as well”)
- προσᾰπολῡ́ω (prosapolū́ō, “to free besides”)
- προσδῐᾰλῡ́ω (prosdialū́ō, “to relax further”)
- προσκᾰτᾰλῡ́ω (proskatalū́ō, “to undo”)
- προϋπεκλῡ́ω (proüpeklū́ō, “to loosen”)
- συγκᾰτᾰλῡ́ω (sunkatalū́ō, “to help in undoing”)
- συλλῡ́ω (sullū́ō, “to help in loosing, solve difficulties”)
- συμπεριλῡ́ω (sumperilū́ō, “to release”)
- σῠνᾰνᾰλῡ́ω (sunanalū́ō, “to remit”)
- σῠνᾰπολῡ́ω (sunapolū́ō, “to release together”)
- σῠνδῐᾰλῡ́ω (sundialū́ō, “to help in putting an end to”)
- σῠνεκλῡ́ω (suneklū́ō, “to help to relax, enfeeble”)
- ῠ̔πεκλῡ́ω (hupeklū́ō, “to loosen”)
- ῠ̔πεκπρολῡ́ω (hupekprolū́ō, “to loose from under”)
- ῠ̔πολῡ́ω (hupolū́ō, “to loosen beneath”)
Descendants
See also
- ῥήγνυμι (rhḗgnumi)
References
- ^ Beekes, Robert S. P. (2010) “λύω”, in Etymological Dictionary of Greek (Leiden Indo-European Etymological Dictionary Series; 10), with the assistance of Lucien van Beek, Leiden, Boston: Brill, →ISBN, pages 881-2
Further reading
- “λύω”, in Liddell & Scott (1940) A Greek–English Lexicon, Oxford: Clarendon Press
- “λύω”, in Liddell & Scott (1889) An Intermediate Greek–English Lexicon, New York: Harper & Brothers
- “λύω”, in Autenrieth, Georg (1891) A Homeric Dictionary for Schools and Colleges, New York: Harper and Brothers
- λύω in Bailly, Anatole (1935) Le Grand Bailly: Dictionnaire grec-français, Paris: Hachette
- λύω in Cunliffe, Richard J. (1924) A Lexicon of the Homeric Dialect: Expanded Edition, Norman: University of Oklahoma Press, published 1963
- “λύω”, in Slater, William J. (1969) Lexicon to Pindar, Berlin: Walter de Gruyter
- G3089 in Strong, James (1979) Strong’s Exhaustive Concordance to the Bible
- James Diggle et al., editors (2021), Cambridge Greek Lexicon, Cambridge University Press, →ISBN, page 30
Greek
Alternative forms
- λύνω (lýno) (common, standard)
Etymology
Learned borrowing from Ancient Greek λῡ́ω (lū́ō). Also see λύνω (lýno).
Pronunciation
Verb
λύω • (lýo) (past έλυσα, passive λύομαι) (formal)
- to terminate, adjourn, end (especially in passive form)
- λύεται η συνεδρίαση ― lýetai i synedríasi ― (especially of court) the session is adjourned
- λύεται η σύμβαση ― lýetai i sýmvasi ― the contract is terminated
- to dismantle, disassemble → see participle λυόμενος
Conjugation
Active voice ➤ | Passive voice ➤ | |||
Indicative mood ➤ | Imperfective aspect ➤ | Perfective aspect ➤ | Imperfective aspect | Perfective aspect |
Non-past tenses ➤ | Present ➤ | Dependent ➤ | Present | Dependent |
1 sg | λύω (λύνω →) | λύσω | λύομαι | λυθώ |
2 sg | λύεις | λύσεις | λύεσαι | λυθείς |
3 sg | λύει | λύσει | λύεται | λυθεί |
1 pl | λύουμε, λύομε(ν) | λύσουμε, λύσομε | λυόμαστε, {λυόμεθα} | λυθούμε |
2 pl | λύετε | λύσετε | λύεστε, {λύεσθε} | λυθείτε |
3 pl | λύουν | λύσουν(ε) | λύονται | λυθούν(ε) |
Past tenses ➤ | Imperfect ➤ | Simple past ➤ | Imperfect | Simple past |
1 sg | έλυα | έλυσα | λυόμουν | λύθηκα, [{ελύθην}]1 |
2 sg | έλυες | έλυσες | λυόσουν | λύθηκες, [{ελύθης}] |
3 sg | έλυε | έλυσε | λυόταν | λύθηκε, {ελύθη} |
1 pl | λύαμε | λύσαμε | λυόμασταν, (‑όμαστε) | λυθήκαμε, [{ελύθημεν}] |
2 pl | λύατε | λύσατε | λυόσασταν, (‑όσαστε) | λυθήκατε, [{ελύθητε}] |
3 pl | έλυαν | έλυσαν, λύσαν(ε) | λύονταν | λύθηκαν, {ελύθησαν} |
Future tenses ➤ | Continuous ➤ | Simple ➤ | Continuous | Simple |
1 sg | θα λύω ➤ | θα λύσω ➤ | θα λύομαι ➤ | θα λυθώ ➤ |
2,3 sg, 1,2,3 pl | θα λύεις, … | θα λύσεις, … | θα λύεσαι, … | θα λυθείς, … |
Perfect aspect ➤ | Perfect aspect | |||
Present perfect ➤ | έχω, έχεις, … λύσει and see → λύνω ➤ |
έχω, έχεις, … λυθεί and see → λύνω ➤ | ||
Past perfect ➤ | είχα, είχες, … λύσει | είχα, είχες, … λυθεί | ||
Future perfect ➤ | θα έχω, θα έχεις, … λύσει | θα έχω, θα έχεις, … λυθεί | ||
Subjunctive mood ➤ | Formed using present, dependent (for simple past) or present perfect from above with a particle (να, ας). | |||
Imperative mood ➤ | Imperfective aspect | Perfective aspect | Imperfective aspect | Perfective aspect |
2 sg | λύε | λύσε | [{λύου}] | λύσου |
2 pl | λύετε | λύστε, {λύσατε} | λύεστε, {λύεσθε} | λυθείτε |
Other forms | Active voice | Passive voice | ||
Present participle➤ | — | λυόμενος, ‑η, ‑ο ➤ | ||
Perfect participle➤ | έχοντας λύσει ➤ | {λελυμένος, ‑η, ‑o} λυμένος, ‑η, ‑o (→ λύνω) ➤ | ||
Nonfinite form➤ | λύσει | λυθεί | ||
Notes Appendix:Greek verbs |
1. Formal passive forms, as in the ancient aorist ἐλύθην from the conjugation of λύω. In Modern Greek, used in the 3rd persons (all persons included here, for reference). Also found in compounds. • Many forms, as in the ancient inflection of λύω. Others, as in modern λύνω • Also, past participle {λυθείς}, {λυθείσα}, {λυθέν} • (…) optional or informal. […] rare. {…} learned, archaic. • Multiple forms are shown in order of reducing frequency. • Periphrastic imperative forms may be produced using the subjunctive. | |||
Derived terms
- δεσμείν και λύειν (desmeín kai lýein) (polytonic script: δεσμεῖν καί λύειν)
Related terms
Compounds of the ancient λύω (and see their Derivatives):
- Ancient Greek terms derived from Proto-Indo-European
- Ancient Greek terms derived from the Proto-Indo-European root *lewh₁-
- Ancient Greek 2-syllable words
- Ancient Greek terms with IPA pronunciation
- Ancient Greek lemmas
- Ancient Greek verbs
- Ancient Greek paroxytone terms
- Greek terms borrowed from Ancient Greek
- Greek learned borrowings from Ancient Greek
- Greek terms derived from Ancient Greek
- Greek terms with IPA pronunciation
- Greek lemmas
- Greek verbs
- Greek formal terms
- Greek terms with usage examples
- Greek verbs conjugating like 'διαλύω'