See also: ποθεν and ποθέν

Ancient Greek

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Alternative forms

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Etymology

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From Proto-Indo-European *kʷos (which) +‎ -θεν (-then, ablative adverb suffix). Compare its indefinite form ποθέν (pothén).[1]

Pronunciation

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Adverb

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πόθεν (póthen) (interrogative adverb)

  1. whence?, from where?
    ποῖ δὴ πορεύῃ καὶ πόθεν?
    poî dḕ poreúēi kaì póthen?
    Whither art thou going and whence?
  2. whence?, from what source?
  3. wherefore?, why?, how?, for what reason?, how come?

Usage notes

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  • This word can be used to introduce direct and indirect questions. ὁπόθεν (hopóthen) can only introduce indirect questions.
  • Object generally takes the genitive case.

See also

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References

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  1. ^ Beekes, Robert S. P. (2010) “πόθεν”, in Etymological Dictionary of Greek (Leiden Indo-European Etymological Dictionary Series; 10), with the assistance of Lucien van Beek, Leiden, Boston: Brill, →ISBN, page 1215

Further reading

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