-ων

See also: ὤν, -ῶν, and -ών

Ancient Greek

Pronunciation

 

• IPA^(key): /ɔːn/ → /on/ → /on/

• (5^th BCE Attic) IPA^(key): /ɔːn/
• (1^st CE Egyptian) IPA^(key): /on/
• (4^th CE Koine) IPA^(key): /on/
• (10^th CE Byzantine) IPA^(key): /on/
• (15^th CE Constantinopolitan) IPA^(key): /on/

Etymology 1

(This etymology is missing or incomplete. Please add to it, or discuss it at the Etymology scriptorium.)

Suffix

-ων • (-ōn)

1. Genitive plural of second- and third-declension nouns and adjectives not accented on the ultima
2. Masculine and neuter genitive plural of first- and second-declension not accented on the ultima

Etymology 2

From Proto-Indo-European *-onts.

Suffix

-ων • (-ōn) m (feminine -ουσᾰ, neuter -ον); first/third declension

1. Masculine singular of present, future, and second aorist active participles

Inflection

First and third declension of -ων; -ουσᾰ; -ον (present and future, Attic)

Number		Singular				Dual				Plural
Case/Gender		Masculine	Feminine	Neuter		Masculine	Feminine	Neuter		Masculine	Feminine	Neuter
Nominative		-ων -ōn	-ουσᾰ -ousa	-ον -on		-οντε -onte	-ούσᾱ -oúsā	-οντε -onte		-οντες -ontes	-ουσαι -ousai	-οντᾰ -onta
Genitive		-οντος -ontos	-ούσης -oúsēs	-οντος -ontos		-όντοιν -óntoin	-ούσαιν -oúsain	-όντοιν -óntoin		-όντων -óntōn	-ουσῶν -ousôn	-όντων -óntōn
Dative		-οντῐ -onti	-ούσῃ -oúsēi	-οντῐ -onti		-όντοιν -óntoin	-ούσαιν -oúsain	-όντοιν -óntoin		-ουσῐ / -ουσῐν -ousi(n)	-ούσαις -oúsais	-ουσῐ / -ουσῐν -ousi(n)
Accusative		-οντᾰ -onta	-ουσᾰν -ousan	-ον -on		-οντε -onte	-ούσᾱ -oúsā	-οντε -onte		-οντᾰς -ontas	-ούσᾱς -oúsās	-οντᾰ -onta
Vocative		-ων -ōn	-ουσᾰ -ousa	-ον -on		-οντε -onte	-ούσᾱ -oúsā	-οντε -onte		-οντες -ontes	-ουσαι -ousai	-οντᾰ -onta
Derived forms		Adverb				Comparative				Superlative
		-όντως -óntōs				—				—
Notes:		This table gives Attic inflectional endings. For declension in other dialects, see Appendix:Ancient Greek dialectal declension.

First and third declension of -ών; -οῦσᾰ; -όν (aorist II, Attic)

Number		Singular				Dual				Plural
Case/Gender		Masculine	Feminine	Neuter		Masculine	Feminine	Neuter		Masculine	Feminine	Neuter
Nominative		-ών -ṓn	-οῦσᾰ -oûsa	-όν -ón		-όντε -ónte	-ούσᾱ -oúsā	-όντε -ónte		-όντες -óntes	-οῦσαι -oûsai	-όντᾰ -ónta
Genitive		-όντος -óntos	-ούσης -oúsēs	-όντος -óntos		-όντοιν -óntoin	-ούσαιν -oúsain	-όντοιν -óntoin		-όντων -óntōn	-ουσῶν -ousôn	-όντων -óntōn
Dative		-όντῐ -ónti	-ούσῃ -oúsēi	-όντῐ -ónti		-όντοιν -óntoin	-ούσαιν -oúsain	-όντοιν -óntoin		-οῦσῐ / -οῦσῐν -oûsi(n)	-ούσαις -oúsais	-οῦσῐ / -οῦσῐν -oûsi(n)
Accusative		-όντᾰ -ónta	-οῦσᾰν -oûsan	-όν -ón		-όντε -ónte	-ούσᾱ -oúsā	-όντε -ónte		-όντᾰς -óntas	-ούσᾱς -oúsās	-όντᾰ -ónta
Vocative		-ών -ṓn	-οῦσᾰ -oûsa	-όν -ón		-όντε -ónte	-ούσᾱ -oúsā	-όντε -ónte		-όντες -óntes	-οῦσαι -oûsai	-όντᾰ -ónta
Derived forms		Adverb				Comparative				Superlative
		-όντως -óntōs				—				—
Notes:		This table gives Attic inflectional endings. For declension in other dialects, see Appendix:Ancient Greek dialectal declension.

See also

• active participle endings:
  • -ᾱς (-ās)
  • -ώς (-ṓs)

Etymology 3

From Proto-Indo-European *-yōs with contamination (see there).

Alternative forms

• -ῑ́ων (-ī́ōn)

Suffix

-ων • (-ōn) m or f (neuter -ον); third declension

1. Added to adjective stems to form comparative forms

Inflection

Third declension of -ων; -ον (Attic)

Number		Singular			Dual			Plural
Case/Gender		Masculine / Feminine	Neuter		Masculine / Feminine	Neuter		Masculine / Feminine	Neuter
Nominative		-ων -ōn	-ον -on		-ονε -one	-ονε -one		-ονες -ones	-ονᾰ -ona
Genitive		-ονος -onos	-ονος -onos		-ονοιν -onoin	-ονοιν -onoin		-ονων -onōn	-ονων -onōn
Dative		-ονῐ -oni	-ονῐ -oni		-ονοιν -onoin	-ονοιν -onoin		-οσῐ / -οσῐν -osi(n)	-οσῐ / -οσῐν -osi(n)
Accusative		-ονᾰ -ona	-ον -on		-ονε -one	-ονε -one		-ονᾰς -onas	-ονᾰ -ona
Vocative		-ον -on	-ον -on		-ονε -one	-ονε -one		-ονες -ones	-ονᾰ -ona
Derived forms		Adverb			Comparative			Superlative
		-ονως -onōs			-ονέστερος -onésteros			-ονέστᾰτος -onéstatos
Notes:		This table gives Attic inflectional endings. For declension in other dialects, see Appendix:Ancient Greek dialectal declension.

Etymology 4

From Proto-Indo-European *-Hō, dubbed "Hoffmann's suffix", meaning "one who possesses X".

Suffix

-ων • (-ōn) m (genitive -ωνος); third declension

2. Added to nouns to form possessive derivatives

   ‎πλοῦτος (ploûtos, “riches”) + ‎-ων (-ōn) → ‎Πλούτων (Ploútōn, “One who possesses riches, god of the underworld”)

   ‎τιμή (timḗ, “honor”) + ‎-ων (-ōn) → ‎Τίμων (Tímōn, “Honorable One, personal name”)

Inflection

Third declension of -ων; -ωνος (Attic)

Case / #	Singular	Dual	Plural
Nominative	-ων -ōn	-ωνε -ōne	-ωνες -ōnes
Genitive	-ωνος -ōnos	-ωνοιν -ōnoin	-ωνων -ōnōn
Dative	-ωνῐ -ōni	-ωνοιν -ōnoin	-ωσῐ / -ωσῐν -ōsi(n)
Accusative	-ωνᾰ -ōna	-ωνε -ōne	-ωνᾰς -ōnas
Vocative	-ων -ōn	-ωνε -ōne	-ωνες -ōnes
Notes:	This table gives Attic inflectional endings. For declension in other dialects, see Appendix:Ancient Greek dialectal declension.

Derived terms

Ancient Greek terms suffixed with -ων

Etymology 5

From Proto-Indo-European *-ō. It is sometimes referred to as the "Strabon suffix", after the personal name, which features it.

Suffix

-ων • (-ōn) m (genitive -ωνος or -ονος); third declension

1. Added to adjectives to form nominalisations

   ‎στραβός (strabós, “squinty-eyed”) + ‎-ων (-ōn) → ‎Στράβων (Strábōn, “Squinty guy, personal name”)

   ‎γλαυκός (glaukós, “gray-eyed”) + ‎-ων (-ōn) → ‎Γλαύκων (Glaúkōn, “Gray-eye, personal name”)

Inflection

Third declension of -ων; -ωνος (Attic)

Case / #	Singular	Dual	Plural
Nominative	-ων -ōn	-ωνε -ōne	-ωνες -ōnes
Genitive	-ωνος -ōnos	-ωνοιν -ōnoin	-ωνων -ōnōn
Dative	-ωνῐ -ōni	-ωνοιν -ōnoin	-ωσῐ / -ωσῐν -ōsi(n)
Accusative	-ωνᾰ -ōna	-ωνε -ōne	-ωνᾰς -ōnas
Vocative	-ων -ōn	-ωνε -ōne	-ωνες -ōnes
Notes:	This table gives Attic inflectional endings. For declension in other dialects, see Appendix:Ancient Greek dialectal declension.

Third declension of -ων; -ονος (Attic)

Case / #	Singular	Dual	Plural
Nominative	-ων -ōn	-ονε -one	-ονες -ones
Genitive	-ονος -onos	-ονοιν -onoin	-ονων -onōn
Dative	-ονῐ -oni	-ονοιν -onoin	-οσῐ / -οσῐν -osi(n)
Accusative	-ονᾰ -ona	-ονε -one	-ονᾰς -onas
Vocative	-ον -on	-ονε -one	-ονες -ones
Notes:	This table gives Attic inflectional endings. For declension in other dialects, see Appendix:Ancient Greek dialectal declension.