Ancient Greek

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Etymology

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From the root of ποιμήν (poimḗn, shepherd) +‎ -αίνω (-aínō), from Proto-Indo-European *peh₂- (to protect, shepherd). Compare Latin pāscō (to tend, feed, nourish), Late Latin pāscor (to feed onself, eat; pasture, graze). Cognates include Sanskrit पाति (pā́ti, to protect), Old English fōda and fēdan (English food and feed), Old Church Slavonic пасти (pasti, to pasture), пища (pišta).

Pronunciation

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Verb

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ποιμαίνω (poimaínō)

  1. to herd, feed, take care of, tend a flock
  2. to be a shepherd, to act as a shepherd
  3. (middle voice, passive voice) to be herded, be tended; to pasture, graze, feed; roam the pastures; traverse
  4. (figurative) to lead, guide, govern
  5. (figurative) to soothe, charm, beguile; hence deceive
  6. (figurative, biblical) to tend to as a shepherd or pastor; to cherish, nourish, care for, mind
    • Septuagint, Psalm 22:1:
      Κύριος ποιμαίνει με καὶ οὐδέν με ὑστερήσει.
      Kúrios poimaínei me kaì oudén me husterḗsei.
      The Lord is my shepherd, and nothing shall I want.
      (literally, “The Lord tends me as a shepherd and nothing for me will be lacking.”)

Inflection

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Descendants

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References

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