νισάφι

Greek

Etymology

From Ottoman Turkish إنصاف (insâf, “mercy, justice based on pity”) with metathesis [in]>[ni], ultimately from Arabic إِنْصَاف (ʔinṣāf, “just treatment”).

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /niˈsa.fi/
• Hyphenation: νι‧σά‧φι

Noun

νισάφι • (nisáfi) n (indeclinable)

1. pity, self-restraint

Usage notes

Only used as the object in phrases such as κάνω νισάφι (káno nisáfi, “to show self-restraint”), δεν έχω νισάφι (den écho nisáfi, “to be cruel, to not show mercy”).

Interjection

νισάφι • (nisáfi)

1. enough!

   Synonym: έλεος (éleos, interjection)

Further reading

• νισάφι, in Λεξικό της κοινής νεοελληνικής [Dictionary of Standard Modern Greek], Triantafyllidis Foundation, 1998 at the Centre for the Greek language