Γραικός

Ancient Greek

Etymology

Aristotle was one of the first to use the name Γραικοί (Graikoí), saying that the area about Dodona and Achelous was inhabited by the Σελλοί (“Selloi”) and a people formerly called Graeci and now Ἕλληνες (“Hellenes”).

According to one hypothesis, the name means “from Γραῖα (Graîa, “Graea”)”, a city on the coast of Βοιωτῐ́ᾱ (Boiōtĭ́ā, “Boeotia”), and it was given to the Greeks of southern Italy by the Romans. The city’s name itself means “grey, venerable” from Proto-Indo-European *ǵerh₂- (“to grow old”). This is in stark contrast to eastern names for the Greeks based on Ἰωνία (Iōnía).

Pronunciation

 

• IPA^(key): /ɡrai̯.kós/ → /ɣrɛˈkos/ → /ɣreˈkos/

• (5^th BCE Attic) IPA^(key): /ɡrai̯.kós/
• (1^st CE Egyptian) IPA^(key): /ɡrɛˈkos/
• (4^th CE Koine) IPA^(key): /ɣrɛˈkos/
• (10^th CE Byzantine) IPA^(key): /ɣreˈkos/
• (15^th CE Constantinopolitan) IPA^(key): /ɣreˈkos/

Adjective

Γραικός • (Graikós) m (feminine Γραική, neuter Γραικόν); first/second declension

1. Greek

Declension

First and second declension of Γραικός; Γραική; Γραικόν (Attic)

Number		Singular				Dual				Plural
Case/Gender		Masculine	Feminine	Neuter		Masculine	Feminine	Neuter		Masculine	Feminine	Neuter
Nominative		Γραικός Graikós	Γραική Graikḗ	Γραικόν Graikón		Γραικώ Graikṓ	Γραικᾱ́ Graikā́	Γραικώ Graikṓ		Γραικοί Graikoí	Γραικαί Graikaí	Γραικᾰ́ Graikắ
Genitive		Γραικοῦ Graikoû	Γραικῆς Graikês	Γραικοῦ Graikoû		Γραικοῖν Graikoîn	Γραικαῖν Graikaîn	Γραικοῖν Graikoîn		Γραικῶν Graikôn	Γραικῶν Graikôn	Γραικῶν Graikôn
Dative		Γραικῷ Graikôi	Γραικῇ Graikêi	Γραικῷ Graikôi		Γραικοῖν Graikoîn	Γραικαῖν Graikaîn	Γραικοῖν Graikoîn		Γραικοῖς Graikoîs	Γραικαῖς Graikaîs	Γραικοῖς Graikoîs
Accusative		Γραικόν Graikón	Γραικήν Graikḗn	Γραικόν Graikón		Γραικώ Graikṓ	Γραικᾱ́ Graikā́	Γραικώ Graikṓ		Γραικούς Graikoús	Γραικᾱ́ς Graikā́s	Γραικᾰ́ Graikắ
Vocative		Γραικέ Graiké	Γραική Graikḗ	Γραικόν Graikón		Γραικώ Graikṓ	Γραικᾱ́ Graikā́	Γραικώ Graikṓ		Γραικοί Graikoí	Γραικαί Graikaí	Γραικᾰ́ Graikắ
Derived forms		Adverb				Comparative				Superlative
		Γραικῶς Graikôs				Γραικότερος Graikóteros				Γραικότᾰτος Graikótătos
Notes:		This table gives Attic inflectional endings. For declension in other dialects, see Appendix:Ancient Greek dialectal declension.

Proper noun

Γραικός • (Graikós) m (genitive Γραικοῦ); second declension

1. Graecus, a character in Greek mythology, said to be a son of Thessalos, the king of Phthia; or else a son of Pandora and Zeus.

Declension

Second declension of ὁ Γραικός; τοῦ Γραικοῦ (Attic)

Case / #	Singular
Nominative	ὁ Γραικός ho Graikós
Genitive	τοῦ Γραικοῦ toû Graikoû
Dative	τῷ Γραικῷ tôi Graikôi
Accusative	τὸν Γραικόν tòn Graikón
Vocative	Γραικέ Graiké
Notes:	This table gives Attic inflectional endings. For declension in other dialects, see Appendix:Ancient Greek dialectal declension.

Noun

Γραικός • (Graikós) m (genitive Γραικοῦ); second declension

1. a Graecian, a member of an ancient Boeotian tribe that migrated to Italy.

Declension

Second declension of ὁ Γραικός; τοῦ Γραικοῦ (Attic)

Case / #	Singular	Dual	Plural
Nominative	ὁ Γραικός ho Graikós	τὼ Γραικώ tṑ Graikṓ	οἱ Γραικοί hoi Graikoí
Genitive	τοῦ Γραικοῦ toû Graikoû	τοῖν Γραικοῖν toîn Graikoîn	τῶν Γραικῶν tôn Graikôn
Dative	τῷ Γραικῷ tôi Graikôi	τοῖν Γραικοῖν toîn Graikoîn	τοῖς Γραικοῖς toîs Graikoîs
Accusative	τὸν Γραικόν tòn Graikón	τὼ Γραικώ tṑ Graikṓ	τοὺς Γραικούς toùs Graikoús
Vocative	Γραικέ Graiké	Γραικώ Graikṓ	Γραικοί Graikoí
Notes:	This table gives Attic inflectional endings. For declension in other dialects, see Appendix:Ancient Greek dialectal declension.

Descendants

• → Latin: Graecus, Latin: graecus (see there for further descendants)

Further reading

• “Γραικός”, in Liddell & Scott (1940) A Greek–English Lexicon, Oxford: Clarendon Press
• Γραικός in Bailly, Anatole (1935) Le Grand Bailly: Dictionnaire grec-français, Paris: Hachette
• Γραικός in the Diccionario Griego–Español en línea (2006–2025)
• Busolt, Griechische Geschichte bis zur Schlacht bei Chaeroneia

Greek

Etymology

Hellenistic reborrowing from Latin Graecus, from Ancient Greek Γραικός (Graikós).

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ɣreˈkos/
• Hyphenation: Γραι‧κός

Noun

Γραικός • (Graikós) m (plural Γραικοί)

1. (historical) Greek

Usage notes

• Used in Byzantium and during Ottoman rule. Although the word has carried a derogatory sense from Latin Graecus, Graeculus, and its occidental descendants, the word was redeemed in the lips of the revolutionary Athanasios Diakos who said before his impalement:

  Εγώ Γραικός γεννήθηκα, Γραικός θε να πεθάνω

  Egó Graikós genníthika, Graikós the na petháno

  I was born a Graikos, I shall die a Graikos.

Declension

Declension of Γραικός

	singular	plural
nominative	Γραικός (Graikós)	Γραικοί (Graikoí)
genitive	Γραικού (Graikoú)	Γραικών (Graikón)
accusative	Γραικό (Graikó)	Γραικούς (Graikoús)
vocative	Γραικέ (Graiké)	Γραικοί (Graikoí)

Synonyms

• Έλληνας m (Éllinas)
• Ρωμιός m (Romiós) (familiar, emotive term)

Related terms

• γραικικός (graikikós, “Greek”)
• γραικύλος (graikýlos, “Graeculus”) (derogatory, offensive)