πυνθάνομαι

Ancient Greek

Alternative forms

• πεύθομαι (peúthomai) — Poetic

Etymology

From Proto-Indo-European *bʰewdʰ-. Cognates include Sanskrit बोधति (bodhati), Gothic 𐌰𐌽𐌰𐌱𐌹𐌿𐌳𐌰𐌽 (anabiudan), and Old English bēodan (English bede, bid).

Pronunciation

 

• IPA^(key): /pyn.tʰá.no.mai̯/ → /pynˈθa.no.mɛ/ → /pinˈθa.no.me/

• (5^th BCE Attic) IPA^(key): /pyn.tʰá.no.mai̯/
• (1^st CE Egyptian) IPA^(key): /pynˈtʰa.no.mɛ/
• (4^th CE Koine) IPA^(key): /pynˈθa.no.mɛ/
• (10^th CE Byzantine) IPA^(key): /pynˈθa.no.me/
• (15^th CE Constantinopolitan) IPA^(key): /pinˈθa.no.me/

Verb

πῠνθάνομαι • (punthánomai)

1. to learn
   1. to learn (accusative) from (genitive)
      • 458 BCE, Aeschylus, Agamemnon 599
      • 458 BCE, Aeschylus, The Libation Bearers 737
      • 405 BCE, Aristophanes, The Frogs 1417
      • 460 BCE – 420 BCE, Herodotus, Histories 2.91
      • 800 BCE – 600 BCE, Homer, Iliad 17.408
      • 800 BCE – 600 BCE, Homer, Odyssey 10.537
      • 406 BCE, Sophocles, Oedipus at Colonus 1266
      • 460 BCE – 395 BCE, Thucydides, History of the Peloponnesian War 1.22
      • 430 BCE – 354 BCE, Xenophon, Cyropaedia 4.1.3
   2. (with accusative) to hear or learn
      • 458 BCE, Aeschylus, The Libation Bearers 765
      • 480 BCE – 411 BCE, Antiphon of Rhamnus, On the Murder of Herodes 25
      • 460 BCE – 420 BCE, Herodotus, Histories 1.22
      • 800 BCE – 600 BCE, Homer, Iliad 2.119
      • 800 BCE – 600 BCE, Homer, Odyssey 2.411
      • 522 BCE – 443 BCE, Pindar, Pythian Ode 7.7
   3. (with genitive) to hear about, ask about
      • 800 BCE – 600 BCE, Homer, Iliad 15.224
      • 800 BCE – 600 BCE, Homer, Odyssey 1.281
      • 800 BCE – 600 BCE, Homer, Odyssey 2.256
      • 428 BCE – 347 BCE, Plato, Laws 635b
      • 497 BCE – 405 BCE, Sophocles, Electra 35
   4. (with participle) to learn that
      • 458 BCE, Aeschylus, The Libation Bearers 763
      • 460 BCE – 420 BCE, Herodotus, Histories 9.58
      • 800 BCE – 600 BCE, Homer, Iliad 1.257
      • 800 BCE – 600 BCE, Homer, Iliad 17.377
      • 800 BCE – 600 BCE, Homer, Iliad 19.322
      • 800 BCE – 600 BCE, Homer, Odyssey 4.732
      • 497 BCE – 405 BCE, Sophocles, Ajax 692
      • 460 BCE – 395 BCE, Thucydides, History of the Peloponnesian War 4.6
      • 460 BCE – 395 BCE, Thucydides, History of the Peloponnesian War 7.31
      • 430 BCE – 354 BCE, Xenophon, Anabasis 1.7.16
   5. (with interrogative clause) to ask
      • 460 BCE – 420 BCE, Herodotus, Histories 3.68
      • 428 BCE – 347 BCE, Plato, Laches 196c
      • 360 BCE, Plato, The Sophist 216d
      • 200 BCE – 118 BCE, Polybius, The Histories 3.107.6
      • 406 BCE, Sophocles, Oedipus at Colonus 11
      • 406 BCE, Sophocles, Oedipus at Colonus 993
      • 430 BCE – 354 BCE, Xenophon, Anabasis 3.1.7
      • 430 BCE – 354 BCE, Xenophon, Anabasis 4.6.17
      • 430 BCE – 354 BCE, Xenophon, Anabasis 6.3.25
      • 430 BCE – 354 BCE, Xenophon, Cyropaedia 1.4.7

Inflection

   Present: πῠνθᾰ́νομαι

number		singular			dual		plural
		first	second	third	second	third	first	second	third
middle/ passive	indicative	πῠνθᾰ́νομαι	πῠνθᾰ́νῃ, πῠνθᾰ́νει	πῠνθᾰ́νεται	πῠνθᾰ́νεσθον	πῠνθᾰ́νεσθον	πῠνθᾰνόμεθᾰ	πῠνθᾰ́νεσθε	πῠνθᾰ́νονται
	subjunctive	πῠνθᾰ́νωμαι	πῠνθᾰ́νῃ	πῠνθᾰ́νηται	πῠνθᾰ́νησθον	πῠνθᾰ́νησθον	πῠνθᾰνώμεθᾰ	πῠνθᾰ́νησθε	πῠνθᾰ́νωνται
	optative	πῠνθᾰνοίμην	πῠνθᾰ́νοιο	πῠνθᾰ́νοιτο	πῠνθᾰ́νοισθον	πῠνθᾰνοίσθην	πῠνθᾰνοίμεθᾰ	πῠνθᾰ́νοισθε	πῠνθᾰ́νοιντο
	imperative		πῠνθᾰ́νου	πῠνθᾰνέσθω	πῠνθᾰ́νεσθον	πῠνθᾰνέσθων		πῠνθᾰ́νεσθε	πῠνθᾰνέσθων
						middle/passive
infinitive						πῠνθᾰ́νεσθαι
participle	m					πῠνθᾰνόμενος
	f					πῠνθᾰνομένη
	n					πῠνθᾰνόμενον
Notes:	This table gives Attic inflectional endings. For conjugation in dialects other than Attic, see Appendix:Ancient Greek dialectal conjugation.

   Present: πεύθομαι (Poetic)

number		singular			dual		plural
		first	second	third	second	third	first	second	third
middle/ passive	indicative	πεύθομαι	πεύθεαι	πεύθεται	πεύθεσθον	πεύθεσθον	πευθόμεθᾰ	πεύθεσθε	πεύθονται
	subjunctive	πεύθωμαι	πεύθηαι	πεύθηται	πεύθησθον	πεύθησθον	πευθώμεθᾰ	πεύθησθε	πεύθωνται
	optative	πευθοίμην	πεύθοιο	πεύθοιτο	πεύθοισθον	πευθοίσθην	πευθοίμεθᾰ	πεύθοισθε	πεύθοιντο
	imperative		πεύθεο	πευθέσθω	πεύθεσθον	πευθέσθων		πεύθεσθε	πευθέσθων
						middle/passive
infinitive						πεύθεσθαι
participle	m					πευθόμενος
	f					πευθομένη
	n					πευθόμενον
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.

   Imperfect: ἐπῠνθᾰνόμην

number		singular			dual		plural
		first	second	third	second	third	first	second	third
middle/ passive	indicative	ἐπῠνθᾰνόμην	ἐπῠνθᾰ́νου	ἐπῠνθᾰ́νετο	ἐπῠνθᾰ́νεσθον	ἐπῠνθᾰνέσθην	ἐπῠνθᾰνόμεθᾰ	ἐπῠνθᾰ́νεσθε	ἐπῠνθᾰ́νοντο
Notes:	This table gives Attic inflectional endings. For conjugation in dialects other than Attic, see Appendix:Ancient Greek dialectal conjugation.

   Imperfect: πῠνθᾰνόμην (Epic)

number		singular			dual		plural
		first	second	third	second	third	first	second	third
middle/ passive	indicative	πῠνθᾰνόμην	πῠνθᾰ́νου	πῠνθᾰ́νετο	πῠνθᾰ́νεσθον	πῠνθᾰνέσθην	πῠνθᾰνόμε(σ)θᾰ	πῠνθᾰ́νεσθε	πῠνθᾰ́νοντο
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.

   Future: πεύσομαι

number		singular			dual		plural
		first	second	third	second	third	first	second	third
middle	indicative	πεύσομαι	πεύσῃ, πεύσει	πεύσεται	πεύσεσθον	πεύσεσθον	πευσόμεθᾰ	πεύσεσθε	πεύσονται
	optative	πευσοίμην	πεύσοιο	πεύσοιτο	πεύσοισθον	πευσοίσθην	πευσοίμεθᾰ	πεύσοισθε	πεύσοιντο
					middle
infinitive					πεύσεσθαι
participle	m				πευσόμενος
	f				πευσομένη
	n				πευσόμενον
Notes:	This table gives Attic inflectional endings. For conjugation in dialects other than Attic, see Appendix:Ancient Greek dialectal conjugation.

   Future: πευσέομαι (Doric, contracted)

number		singular			dual		plural
		first	second	third	second	third	first	second	third
middle	indicative	πευσέομαι	πευσῇ	πευσεῖται	πευσεῖσθον	πευσεῖσθον	πευσεόμεθᾰ	πευσεῖσθε	πευσέονται
	optative	πευσεοίμᾱν	πευσέοιο	πευσέοιτο	πευσέοισθον	πευσεοίσθᾱν	πευσεοίμεθᾰ	πευσέοισθε	πευσέοιντο
					middle
infinitive					πευσεῖσθαι
participle	m				πευσεόμενος
	f				πευσεομένᾱ
	n				πευσεόμενον
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.

   Aorist: ἐπῠθόμην

number		singular			dual		plural
		first	second	third	second	third	first	second	third
middle	indicative	ἐπῠθόμην	ἐπῠ́θου	ἐπῠ́θετο	ἐπῠ́θεσθον	ἐπῠθέσθην	ἐπῠθόμεθᾰ	ἐπῠ́θεσθε	ἐπῠ́θοντο
	subjunctive	πῠ́θωμαι	πῠ́θῃ	πῠ́θηται	πῠ́θησθον	πῠ́θησθον	πῠθώμεθᾰ	πῠ́θησθε	πῠ́θωνται
	optative	πῠθοίμην	πῠ́θοιο	πῠ́θοιτο	πῠ́θοισθον	πῠθοίσθην	πῠθοίμεθᾰ	πῠ́θοισθε	πῠ́θοιντο
	imperative		πῠθοῦ	πῠθέσθω	πῠ́θεσθον	πῠθέσθων		πῠ́θεσθε	πῠθέσθων
					middle
infinitive					πῠθέσθαι
participle	m				πῠθόμενος
	f				πῠθομένη
	n				πῠθόμενον
Notes:	This table gives Attic inflectional endings. For conjugation in dialects other than Attic, see Appendix:Ancient Greek dialectal conjugation.

   Aorist: πῠθόμην (Epic, Lyric)

number		singular			dual		plural
		first	second	third	second	third	first	second	third
middle	indicative	πῠθόμην	πῠ́θου	πῠ́θετο	πῠ́θεσθον	πῠθέσθην	πῠθόμεθᾰ	πῠ́θεσθε	πῠ́θοντο
	subjunctive	πῠ́θωμαι	πῠ́θῃ/πῠ́θηαι	πῠ́θηται	πῠ́θησθον	πῠ́θησθον	πῠθώμεθᾰ	πῠ́θησθε	πῠ́θωνται
	optative	πῠθοίμην	πῠ́θοιο	πῠ́θοιτο	πῠ́θοισθον	πῠθοίσθην	πῠθοίμεθᾰ	πῠ́θοισθε	πῠ́θοιντο
	imperative		πῠθοῦ	πῠθέσθω	πῠ́θεσθον	πῠθέσθων		πῠ́θεσθε	πῠθέσθων
					middle
infinitive					πῠθέσθαι
participle	m				πῠθόμενος
	f				πῠθομένη
	n				πῠθόμενον
Notes:	This table gives Attic inflectional endings. For conjugation in dialects other than Attic, see Appendix:Ancient Greek dialectal conjugation.

   Perfect: πέπῠσμαι

number		singular			dual		plural
		first	second	third	second	third	first	second	third
middle/ passive	indicative	πέπῠσμαι	πέπῠσαι	πέπῠσται	πέπῠσθον	πέπῠσθον	πεπῠ́σμεθᾰ	πέπῠσθε	πεπῠ́σᾰται
	subjunctive	πεπῠσμένος ὦ	πεπῠσμένος ᾖς	πεπῠσμένος ᾖ	πεπῠσμένω ἦτον	πεπῠσμένω ἦτον	πεπῠσμένοι ὦμεν	πεπῠσμένοι ἦτε	πεπῠσμένοι ὦσῐ(ν)
	optative	πεπῠσμένος εἴην	πεπῠσμένος εἴης	πεπῠσμένος εἴη	πεπῠσμένω εἴητον/εἶτον	πεπῠσμένω εἰήτην/εἴτην	πεπῠσμένοι εἴημεν/εἶμεν	πεπῠσμένοι εἴητε/εἶτε	πεπῠσμένοι εἴησᾰν/εἶεν
	imperative		πέπῠσο	πεπῠ́σθω	πέπῠσθον	πεπῠ́σθων		πέπῠσθε	πεπῠ́σθων
						middle/passive
infinitive						πεπῠ́σθαι
participle	m					πεπῠσμένος
	f					πεπῠσμένη
	n					πεπῠσμένον
Notes:	This table gives Attic inflectional endings. For conjugation in dialects other than Attic, see Appendix:Ancient Greek dialectal conjugation.

   Pluperfect: ἐπεπῠ́σμην

number		singular			dual		plural
		first	second	third	second	third	first	second	third
middle/ passive	indicative	ἐπεπῠ́σμην	ἐπέπῠσο	ἐπέπῠστο	ἐπέπῠσθον	ἐπεπῠ́σθην	ἐπεπῠ́σμεθᾰ	ἐπέπῠσθε	ἐπεπῠ́σᾰτο
Notes:	This table gives Attic inflectional endings. For conjugation in dialects other than Attic, see Appendix:Ancient Greek dialectal conjugation.

   Pluperfect: πεπῠ́σμην (Epic)

number		singular			dual		plural
		first	second	third	second	third	first	second	third
middle/ passive	indicative	πεπῠ́σμην	πέπῠσο	πέπῠστο	πέπῠσθον	πεπῠ́σθην	πεπῠ́σμεθᾰ	πέπῠσθε	πεπῠ́σᾰτο
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.

Derived terms

• ἀνᾰπῠνθάνομαι (anapunthánomai)
• ἀπευθής (apeuthḗs)
• ἀποπῠνθάνομαι (apopunthánomai)
• ἄπυστος (ápustos)
• δῐᾰπῠνθάνομαι (diapunthánomai)
• ἐκπῠνθάνομαι (ekpunthánomai)
• ἔκπυστος (ékpustos)
• ἐπῐπῠνθάνομαι (epipunthánomai)
• νεοπευθής (neopeuthḗs)
• νηπευθής (nēpeuthḗs)
• περίπυστος (perípustos)
• πεῦσῐς (peûsis)
• πευστέον (peustéon)
• πευστήρῐος (peustḗrios)
• πευστής (peustḗs)
• πευστῐκός (peustikós)
• πολυπευθής (polupeuthḗs)
• προπῠνθάνομαι (propunthánomai)
• προσπῠνθάνομαι (prospunthánomai)
• πύσμᾰ (púsma)
• πύστις (pústis)
• πῠστός (pustós)
• σῠμπῠνθάνομαι (sumpunthánomai)
• φῐλοπευθής (philopeuthḗs)
• φιλοπευστέω (philopeustéō)

 

Related terms

• πευθήν (peuthḗn)
• πευθώ (peuthṓ)

 

References

• “πυνθάνομαι”, in Liddell & Scott (1940) A Greek–English Lexicon, Oxford: Clarendon Press
• “πυνθάνομαι”, in Liddell & Scott (1889) An Intermediate Greek–English Lexicon, New York: Harper & Brothers
• “πυνθάνομαι”, in Autenrieth, Georg (1891) A Homeric Dictionary for Schools and Colleges, New York: Harper and Brothers
• πυνθάνομαι in Cunliffe, Richard J. (1924) A Lexicon of the Homeric Dialect: Expanded Edition, Norman: University of Oklahoma Press, published 1963
• “πυνθάνομαι”, in Slater, William J. (1969) Lexicon to Pindar, Berlin: Walter de Gruyter
• G4441 in Strong, James (1979) Strong’s Exhaustive Concordance to the Bible
• Bauer, Walter et al. (2001) A Greek–English Lexicon of the New Testament and Other Early Christian Literature, Third edition, Chicago: University of Chicago Press