ἀθάνατος

See also: αθάνατος

Ancient Greek

Etymology

From ᾰ̓- (a-, “un-”) +‎ θᾰ́νᾰτος (thánatos, “dying”).

Pronunciation

 

• IPA^(key): /aː.tʰá.na.tos/ → /aˈθa.na.tos/ → /aˈθa.na.tos/

• (5^th BCE Attic) IPA^(key): /aː.tʰá.na.tos/
• (1^st CE Egyptian) IPA^(key): /aˈtʰa.na.tos/
• (4^th CE Koine) IPA^(key): /aˈθa.na.tos/
• (10^th CE Byzantine) IPA^(key): /aˈθa.na.tos/
• (15^th CE Constantinopolitan) IPA^(key): /aˈθa.na.tos/

The first alpha is etymologically expected to be short, but it always scans long in poetry because poetic meter does not allow three light syllables in a row.

Adjective

ᾱ̓θᾰ́νᾰτος • (āthánatos) m (feminine ᾱ̓θᾰ́νᾰτος or ᾱ̓θᾰνᾰ́τη, neuter ᾱ̓θᾰ́νᾰτον); first/second declension

1. undying, immortal

   Synonyms: ἄμβροτος (ámbrotos), ἄφθῐτος (áphthitos)

   Antonyms: βρότειος (bróteios), βροτός (brotós), θνητός (thnētós), μορτός (mortós)

   • 630 BCE – 570 BCE, Sappho, Collected Works 1.14:

     Σὺ δ’, ὦ μάκαιρα, μειδιάσαισ’ ἀθανάτῳ προσώπῳ ἤρε’ ὄττι δηὖτε πέπονθα.

     Sù d’, ô mákaira, meidiásais’ athanátōi prosṓpōi ḗre’ ótti dēûte pépontha.

     And you, blessed Lady, with a smile on your immortal face, asked what bothered me again.

2. everlasting, perpetual
   • 409 BCE, Sophocles, Philoctetes 1420:

     Ἀθάνατον ἀρετὴν ἔσχον, ὡς πάρεσθ’ ὁρᾶν.

     Athánaton aretḕn éskhon, hōs páresth’ horân.

     I have won deathless glory, as you witness.

3. maintained at a constant figure

Declension

First and second declension of ᾱ̓θᾰ́νᾰτος; ᾱ̓θᾰνᾰ́τη; ᾱ̓θᾰ́νᾰτον (Attic)

Number		Singular				Dual				Plural
Case/Gender		Masculine	Feminine	Neuter		Masculine	Feminine	Neuter		Masculine	Feminine	Neuter
Nominative		ᾱ̓θᾰ́νᾰτος āthánatos	ᾱ̓θᾰνᾰ́τη āthanátē	ᾱ̓θᾰ́νᾰτον āthánaton		ᾱ̓θᾰνᾰ́τω āthanátō	ᾱ̓θᾰνᾰ́τᾱ āthanátā	ᾱ̓θᾰνᾰ́τω āthanátō		ᾱ̓θᾰ́νᾰτοι āthánatoi	ᾱ̓θᾰ́νᾰται āthánatai	ᾱ̓θᾰ́νᾰτᾰ āthánata
Genitive		ᾱ̓θᾰνᾰ́του āthanátou	ᾱ̓θᾰνᾰ́της āthanátēs	ᾱ̓θᾰνᾰ́του āthanátou		ᾱ̓θᾰνᾰ́τοιν āthanátoin	ᾱ̓θᾰνᾰ́ταιν āthanátain	ᾱ̓θᾰνᾰ́τοιν āthanátoin		ᾱ̓θᾰνᾰ́των āthanátōn	ᾱ̓θᾰνᾰ́των āthanátōn	ᾱ̓θᾰνᾰ́των āthanátōn
Dative		ᾱ̓θᾰνᾰ́τῳ āthanátōi	ᾱ̓θᾰνᾰ́τῃ āthanátēi	ᾱ̓θᾰνᾰ́τῳ āthanátōi		ᾱ̓θᾰνᾰ́τοιν āthanátoin	ᾱ̓θᾰνᾰ́ταιν āthanátain	ᾱ̓θᾰνᾰ́τοιν āthanátoin		ᾱ̓θᾰνᾰ́τοις āthanátois	ᾱ̓θᾰνᾰ́ταις āthanátais	ᾱ̓θᾰνᾰ́τοις āthanátois
Accusative		ᾱ̓θᾰ́νᾰτον āthánaton	ᾱ̓θᾰνᾰ́την āthanátēn	ᾱ̓θᾰ́νᾰτον āthánaton		ᾱ̓θᾰνᾰ́τω āthanátō	ᾱ̓θᾰνᾰ́τᾱ āthanátā	ᾱ̓θᾰνᾰ́τω āthanátō		ᾱ̓θᾰνᾰ́τους āthanátous	ᾱ̓θᾰνᾰ́τᾱς āthanátās	ᾱ̓θᾰ́νᾰτᾰ āthánata
Vocative		ᾱ̓θᾰ́νᾰτε āthánate	ᾱ̓θᾰνᾰ́τη āthanátē	ᾱ̓θᾰ́νᾰτον āthánaton		ᾱ̓θᾰνᾰ́τω āthanátō	ᾱ̓θᾰνᾰ́τᾱ āthanátā	ᾱ̓θᾰνᾰ́τω āthanátō		ᾱ̓θᾰ́νᾰτοι āthánatoi	ᾱ̓θᾰ́νᾰται āthánatai	ᾱ̓θᾰ́νᾰτᾰ āthánata
Derived forms		Adverb				Comparative				Superlative
		ᾱ̓θᾰνᾰ́τως āthanátōs				ᾱ̓θᾰνᾰτώτερος āthanatṓteros				ᾱ̓θᾰνᾰτώτᾰτος āthanatṓtatos
Notes:		This table gives Attic inflectional endings. For declension in other dialects, see Appendix:Ancient Greek dialectal declension.

First and second declension of ᾱ̓θᾰ́νᾰτος; ᾱ̓θᾰνᾰ́τη; ᾱ̓θᾰ́νᾰτον (Epic)

Number		Singular				Dual				Plural
Case/Gender		Masculine	Feminine	Neuter		Masculine	Feminine	Neuter		Masculine	Feminine	Neuter
Nominative		ᾱ̓θᾰ́νᾰτος āthánatos	ᾱ̓θᾰνᾰ́τη āthanátē	ᾱ̓θᾰ́νᾰτον āthánaton		ᾱ̓θᾰνᾰ́τω āthanátō	ᾱ̓θᾰνᾰ́τᾱ āthanátā	ᾱ̓θᾰνᾰ́τω āthanátō		ᾱ̓θᾰ́νᾰτοι āthánatoi	ᾱ̓θᾰ́νᾰται āthánatai	ᾱ̓θᾰ́νᾰτᾰ āthánata
Genitive		ᾱ̓θᾰνᾰ́του / ᾱ̓θᾰνᾰτοῖο / ᾱ̓θᾰνᾰ́τοιο / ᾱ̓θᾰνᾰτόο / ᾱ̓θᾰνᾰ́τοο āthanátou / āthanatoîo / āthanátoio / āthanatóo / āthanátoo	ᾱ̓θᾰνᾰ́της āthanátēs	ᾱ̓θᾰνᾰ́του / ᾱ̓θᾰνᾰτοῖο / ᾱ̓θᾰνᾰ́τοιο / ᾱ̓θᾰνᾰτόο / ᾱ̓θᾰνᾰ́τοο āthanátou / āthanatoîo / āthanátoio / āthanatóo / āthanátoo		ᾱ̓θᾰνᾰ́τοιῐν āthanátoiin	ᾱ̓θᾰνᾰ́ταιν / ᾱ̓θᾰνᾰ́ταιῐν / ᾱ̓θᾰνᾰ́τῃῐν āthanátai(i)n / āthanátēiin	ᾱ̓θᾰνᾰ́τοιῐν āthanátoiin		ᾱ̓θᾰνᾰ́των āthanátōn	ᾱ̓θᾰνᾰτᾱ́ων / ᾱ̓θᾰνᾰτέ͜ων / ᾱ̓θᾰνᾰτῶν āthanatā́ōn / āthanaté͜ōn / āthanatôn	ᾱ̓θᾰνᾰ́των āthanátōn
Dative		ᾱ̓θᾰνᾰ́τῳ āthanátōi	ᾱ̓θᾰνᾰ́τῃ āthanátēi	ᾱ̓θᾰνᾰ́τῳ āthanátōi		ᾱ̓θᾰνᾰ́τοιῐν āthanátoiin	ᾱ̓θᾰνᾰ́ταιν / ᾱ̓θᾰνᾰ́ταιῐν / ᾱ̓θᾰνᾰ́τῃῐν āthanátai(i)n / āthanátēiin	ᾱ̓θᾰνᾰ́τοιῐν āthanátoiin		ᾱ̓θᾰνᾰ́τοισῐ / ᾱ̓θᾰνᾰ́τοισῐν / ᾱ̓θᾰνᾰ́τοις āthanátoisi(n) / āthanátois	ᾱ̓θᾰνᾰ́τῃσῐ / ᾱ̓θᾰνᾰ́τῃσῐν / ᾱ̓θᾰνᾰ́τῃς / ᾱ̓θᾰνᾰ́ταις āthanátēisi(n) / āthanátēis / āthanátais	ᾱ̓θᾰνᾰ́τοισῐ / ᾱ̓θᾰνᾰ́τοισῐν / ᾱ̓θᾰνᾰ́τοις āthanátoisi(n) / āthanátois
Accusative		ᾱ̓θᾰ́νᾰτον āthánaton	ᾱ̓θᾰνᾰ́την āthanátēn	ᾱ̓θᾰ́νᾰτον āthánaton		ᾱ̓θᾰνᾰ́τω āthanátō	ᾱ̓θᾰνᾰ́τᾱ āthanátā	ᾱ̓θᾰνᾰ́τω āthanátō		ᾱ̓θᾰνᾰ́τους āthanátous	ᾱ̓θᾰνᾰ́τᾱς āthanátās	ᾱ̓θᾰ́νᾰτᾰ āthánata
Vocative		ᾱ̓θᾰ́νᾰτε āthánate	ᾱ̓θᾰνᾰ́τη āthanátē	ᾱ̓θᾰ́νᾰτον āthánaton		ᾱ̓θᾰνᾰ́τω āthanátō	ᾱ̓θᾰνᾰ́τᾱ āthanátā	ᾱ̓θᾰνᾰ́τω āthanátō		ᾱ̓θᾰ́νᾰτοι āthánatoi	ᾱ̓θᾰ́νᾰται āthánatai	ᾱ̓θᾰ́νᾰτᾰ āthánata
Derived forms		Adverb				Comparative				Superlative
		ᾱ̓θᾰνᾰ́τως āthanátōs				ᾱ̓θᾰνᾰτώτερος āthanatṓteros				ᾱ̓θᾰνᾰτώτᾰτος āthanatṓtatos
Notes:		Dialects other than Attic are not well attested. Some forms may be based on conjecture. Use with caution.

Second declension of ᾱ̓θᾰ́νᾰτος; ᾱ̓θᾰ́νᾰτον (Attic)

Number		Singular			Dual			Plural
Case/Gender		Masculine / Feminine	Neuter		Masculine / Feminine	Neuter		Masculine / Feminine	Neuter
Nominative		ᾱ̓θᾰ́νᾰτος āthánatos	ᾱ̓θᾰ́νᾰτον āthánaton		ᾱ̓θᾰνᾰ́τω āthanátō	ᾱ̓θᾰνᾰ́τω āthanátō		ᾱ̓θᾰ́νᾰτοι āthánatoi	ᾱ̓θᾰ́νᾰτᾰ āthánata
Genitive		ᾱ̓θᾰνᾰ́του āthanátou	ᾱ̓θᾰνᾰ́του āthanátou		ᾱ̓θᾰνᾰ́τοιν āthanátoin	ᾱ̓θᾰνᾰ́τοιν āthanátoin		ᾱ̓θᾰνᾰ́των āthanátōn	ᾱ̓θᾰνᾰ́των āthanátōn
Dative		ᾱ̓θᾰνᾰ́τῳ āthanátōi	ᾱ̓θᾰνᾰ́τῳ āthanátōi		ᾱ̓θᾰνᾰ́τοιν āthanátoin	ᾱ̓θᾰνᾰ́τοιν āthanátoin		ᾱ̓θᾰνᾰ́τοις āthanátois	ᾱ̓θᾰνᾰ́τοις āthanátois
Accusative		ᾱ̓θᾰ́νᾰτον āthánaton	ᾱ̓θᾰ́νᾰτον āthánaton		ᾱ̓θᾰνᾰ́τω āthanátō	ᾱ̓θᾰνᾰ́τω āthanátō		ᾱ̓θᾰνᾰ́τους āthanátous	ᾱ̓θᾰ́νᾰτᾰ āthánata
Vocative		ᾱ̓θᾰ́νᾰτε āthánate	ᾱ̓θᾰ́νᾰτον āthánaton		ᾱ̓θᾰνᾰ́τω āthanátō	ᾱ̓θᾰνᾰ́τω āthanátō		ᾱ̓θᾰ́νᾰτοι āthánatoi	ᾱ̓θᾰ́νᾰτᾰ āthánata
Derived forms		Adverb			Comparative			Superlative
		ᾱ̓θᾰνᾰ́τως āthanátōs			ᾱ̓θᾰνᾰτώτερος āthanatṓteros			ᾱ̓θᾰνᾰτώτᾰτος āthanatṓtatos
Notes:		This table gives Attic inflectional endings. For declension in other dialects, see Appendix:Ancient Greek dialectal declension.

Second declension of ᾱ̓θᾰ́νᾰτος; ᾱ̓θᾰ́νᾰτον (Epic)

Number		Singular			Dual			Plural
Case/Gender		Masculine / Feminine	Neuter		Masculine / Feminine	Neuter		Masculine / Feminine	Neuter
Nominative		ᾱ̓θᾰ́νᾰτος āthánatos	ᾱ̓θᾰ́νᾰτον āthánaton		ᾱ̓θᾰνᾰ́τω āthanátō	ᾱ̓θᾰνᾰ́τω āthanátō		ᾱ̓θᾰ́νᾰτοι āthánatoi	ᾱ̓θᾰ́νᾰτᾰ āthánata
Genitive		ᾱ̓θᾰνᾰ́του / ᾱ̓θᾰνᾰτοῖο / ᾱ̓θᾰνᾰ́τοιο / ᾱ̓θᾰνᾰτόο / ᾱ̓θᾰνᾰ́τοο āthanátou / āthanatoîo / āthanátoio / āthanatóo / āthanátoo	ᾱ̓θᾰνᾰ́του / ᾱ̓θᾰνᾰτοῖο / ᾱ̓θᾰνᾰ́τοιο / ᾱ̓θᾰνᾰτόο / ᾱ̓θᾰνᾰ́τοο āthanátou / āthanatoîo / āthanátoio / āthanatóo / āthanátoo		ᾱ̓θᾰνᾰ́τοιῐν āthanátoiin	ᾱ̓θᾰνᾰ́τοιῐν āthanátoiin		ᾱ̓θᾰνᾰ́των āthanátōn	ᾱ̓θᾰνᾰ́των āthanátōn
Dative		ᾱ̓θᾰνᾰ́τῳ āthanátōi	ᾱ̓θᾰνᾰ́τῳ āthanátōi		ᾱ̓θᾰνᾰ́τοιῐν āthanátoiin	ᾱ̓θᾰνᾰ́τοιῐν āthanátoiin		ᾱ̓θᾰνᾰ́τοισῐ / ᾱ̓θᾰνᾰ́τοισῐν / ᾱ̓θᾰνᾰ́τοις āthanátoisi(n) / āthanátois	ᾱ̓θᾰνᾰ́τοισῐ / ᾱ̓θᾰνᾰ́τοισῐν / ᾱ̓θᾰνᾰ́τοις āthanátoisi(n) / āthanátois
Accusative		ᾱ̓θᾰ́νᾰτον āthánaton	ᾱ̓θᾰ́νᾰτον āthánaton		ᾱ̓θᾰνᾰ́τω āthanátō	ᾱ̓θᾰνᾰ́τω āthanátō		ᾱ̓θᾰνᾰ́τους āthanátous	ᾱ̓θᾰ́νᾰτᾰ āthánata
Vocative		ᾱ̓θᾰ́νᾰτε āthánate	ᾱ̓θᾰ́νᾰτον āthánaton		ᾱ̓θᾰνᾰ́τω āthanátō	ᾱ̓θᾰνᾰ́τω āthanátō		ᾱ̓θᾰ́νᾰτοι āthánatoi	ᾱ̓θᾰ́νᾰτᾰ āthánata
Derived forms		Adverb			Comparative			Superlative
		ᾱ̓θᾰνᾰ́τως āthanátōs			ᾱ̓θᾰνᾰτώτερος āthanatṓteros			ᾱ̓θᾰνᾰτώτᾰτος āthanatṓtatos
Notes:		Dialects other than Attic are not well attested. Some forms may be based on conjecture. Use with caution.

Related terms

• ᾱ̓θᾰνᾰσῐ́ᾱ (āthanasíā)
• ᾱ̓θᾰνᾰτῐ́ζω (āthanatízō)
• ᾱ̓θᾰνᾰτῐσμός (āthanatismós)
• ᾱ̓θᾰνᾰτόω (āthanatóō)

Descendants

• αθάνατος (athánatos)

Noun

ἀθάνατος • (athánatos) m (genitive ᾱ̓θᾰνᾰ́του); second declension

1. the rose campion (Silene coronaria, syn. Lychnis coronaria)

References

• “ἀθάνατος”, in Liddell & Scott (1940) A Greek–English Lexicon, Oxford: Clarendon Press
• “ἀθάνατος”, in Liddell & Scott (1889) An Intermediate Greek–English Lexicon, New York: Harper & Brothers
• “ἀθάνατος”, in Autenrieth, Georg (1891) A Homeric Dictionary for Schools and Colleges, New York: Harper and Brothers
• ἀθάνατος in Bailly, Anatole (1935) Le Grand Bailly: Dictionnaire grec-français, Paris: Hachette
• ἀθάνατος in Cunliffe, Richard J. (1924) A Lexicon of the Homeric Dialect: Expanded Edition, Norman: University of Oklahoma Press, published 1963
• ἀθάνατος in the Diccionario Griego–Español en línea (2006–2024)
• “ἀθάνατος”, in Slater, William J. (1969) Lexicon to Pindar, Berlin: Walter de Gruyter
• Woodhouse, S. C. (1910) English–Greek Dictionary: A Vocabulary of the Attic Language‎^[1], London: Routledge & Kegan Paul Limited.
  • ageless idem, page 18.
  • deathless idem, page 198.
  • eternal idem, page 284.
  • everlasting idem, page 285.
  • immortal idem, page 418.
  • imperishable idem, page 420.
  • incorruptible idem, page 430.
  • undying idem, page 916.
  • unfading idem, page 917.