ἀγαπάω

See also: αγαπάω

Ancient Greek

FWOTD – 9 October 2017

Alternative forms

ἀγαπέω (agapéō) — Doric

Etymology

A Proto-Indo-European etymology as a compound *m̥ǵh₂-peh₂- (from *méǵh₂- (“great”) +‎ *peh₂- (“to protect”), literally “[provide] great protection”) was proposed by Pinault in 1991.^[1]^[2]

Previous scholars have proposed non-Indo-European comparisons, including:

Semantically, Semitic offers a match in Hebrew אָהַב (ʾāháḇ), and Arabic أَحَبَّ (ʔaḥabba).^[3]^[4] This Semitic, in turn, is suggested by Saul Levin to be a borrowing since the Hebrew has a variant עָגַב (ʿāḡáḇ),^[5] also Ugaritic deviates with the form 𐎀𐎅𐎁 (ảhb), but it must be admonished against this that the root ح ب ب (ḥ-b-b) is well-developed and well-used in Arabic.
Friedrich Cornelius^[6] believed that ἀγαπάω was borrowed from the precursor of Abkhaz а-гәаԥха-ра (a-gʷapxa-ra, “to like, wish, love”), though a better match could be Adyghe гуапэ (gʷapɛ), Kabardian гуапэ (gʷapɛ, “nice, cordial, pleasurable”), all three containing the Northwest Caucasian word for “heart” (compare Adyghe гу (gʷu)).^[7]

Pronunciation

(5^th BCE Attic) IPA^(key): /a.ɡa.pá.ɔː/
(1^st CE Egyptian) IPA^(key): /a.ɡaˈpa.o/
(4^th CE Koine) IPA^(key): /a.ɣaˈpa.o/
(10^th CE Byzantine) IPA^(key): /a.ɣaˈpa.o/
(15^th CE Constantinopolitan) IPA^(key): /a.ɣaˈpa.o/

Verb

ᾰ̓γᾰπᾰ́ω • (agapáō) (chiefly Attic, Doric, Koine)

(Tragic Greek) to show affection for the dead
(transitive) to treat with affection, be fond of, love
(passive voice) to be beloved
(transitive, rare) to caress, pet
(transitive, intransitive) to be pleased with, take pleasure in, like
- 800 BCE – 600 BCE, Homer, Odyssey 21.289–290:
  οὐκ ἀγαπᾷς […] μεθ’ ἡμῖν δαίνυσαι
  ouk agapâis […] meth’ hēmîn daínusai
  Aren't you pleased to dine with us?
(New Testament, transitive) to show brotherly love or agape to

Inflection

Present: ἀγαπᾰ́ω, ἀγαπᾰ́ομαι (Uncontracted)

number		singular			dual		plural
		first	second	third	second	third	first	second	third
active	indicative	ἀγαπᾰ́ω	ἀγαπᾰ́εις	ἀγαπᾰ́ει	ἀγαπᾰ́ετον	ἀγαπᾰ́ετον	ἀγαπᾰ́ομεν	ἀγαπᾰ́ετε	ἀγαπᾰ́ουσῐ(ν)
	subjunctive	ἀγαπᾰ́ω	ἀγαπᾰ́ῃς	ἀγαπᾰ́ῃ	ἀγαπᾰ́ητον	ἀγαπᾰ́ητον	ἀγαπᾰ́ωμεν	ἀγαπᾰ́ητε	ἀγαπᾰ́ωσῐ(ν)
	optative	ἀγαπᾰ́οιμῐ	ἀγαπᾰ́οις	ἀγαπᾰ́οι	ἀγαπᾰ́οιτον	ἀγαπᾰοίτην	ἀγαπᾰ́οιμεν	ἀγαπᾰ́οιτε	ἀγαπᾰ́οιεν
	imperative		ἀγάπᾰε	ἀγαπᾰέτω	ἀγαπᾰ́ετον	ἀγαπᾰέτων		ἀγαπᾰ́ετε	ἀγαπᾰόντων
middle/ passive	indicative	ἀγαπᾰ́ομαι	ἀγαπᾰ́ῃ, ἀγαπᾰ́ει	ἀγαπᾰ́εται	ἀγαπᾰ́εσθον	ἀγαπᾰ́εσθον	ἀγαπᾰόμεθᾰ	ἀγαπᾰ́εσθε	ἀγαπᾰ́ονται
	subjunctive	ἀγαπᾰ́ωμαι	ἀγαπᾰ́ῃ	ἀγαπᾰ́ηται	ἀγαπᾰ́ησθον	ἀγαπᾰ́ησθον	ἀγαπᾰώμεθᾰ	ἀγαπᾰ́ησθε	ἀγαπᾰ́ωνται
	optative	ἀγαπᾰοίμην	ἀγαπᾰ́οιο	ἀγαπᾰ́οιτο	ἀγαπᾰ́οισθον	ἀγαπᾰοίσθην	ἀγαπᾰοίμεθᾰ	ἀγαπᾰ́οισθε	ἀγαπᾰ́οιντο
	imperative		ἀγαπᾰ́ου	ἀγαπᾰέσθω	ἀγαπᾰ́εσθον	ἀγαπᾰέσθων		ἀγαπᾰ́εσθε	ἀγαπᾰέσθων
		active				middle/passive
infinitive		ἀγαπᾰ́ειν				ἀγαπᾰ́εσθαι
participle	m	ἀγαπᾰ́ων				ἀγαπᾰόμενος
	f	ἀγαπᾰ́ουσᾰ				ἀγαπᾰομένη
	n	ἀγαπᾰ́ον				ἀγαπᾰόμενον
Notes:	This table gives Attic inflectional endings. For conjugation in dialects other than Attic, see Appendix:Ancient Greek dialectal conjugation.

Present: ἀγαπῶ, ἀγαπῶμαι (Contracted)

number		singular			dual		plural
		first	second	third	second	third	first	second	third
active	indicative	ἀγαπῶ	ἀγαπᾷς	ἀγαπᾷ	ἀγαπᾶτον	ἀγαπᾶτον	ἀγαπῶμεν	ἀγαπᾶτε	ἀγαπῶσῐ(ν)
	subjunctive	ἀγαπῶ	ἀγαπᾷς	ἀγαπᾷ	ἀγαπᾶτον	ἀγαπᾶτον	ἀγαπῶμεν	ἀγαπᾶτε	ἀγαπῶσῐ(ν)
	optative	ἀγαπῴην, ἀγαπῷμῐ	ἀγαπῴης, ἀγαπῷς	ἀγαπῴη, ἀγαπῷ	ἀγαπῷτον, ἀγαπῴητον	ἀγαπῴτην, ἀγαπῳήτην	ἀγαπῷμεν, ἀγαπῴημεν	ἀγαπῷτε, ἀγαπῴητε	ἀγαπῷεν, ἀγαπῴησᾰν
	imperative		ἀγάπᾱ	ἀγαπᾱ́τω	ἀγαπᾶτον	ἀγαπᾱ́των		ἀγαπᾶτε	ἀγαπώντων
middle/ passive	indicative	ἀγαπῶμαι	ἀγαπᾷ	ἀγαπᾶται	ἀγαπᾶσθον	ἀγαπᾶσθον	ἀγαπώμεθᾰ	ἀγαπᾶσθε	ἀγαπῶνται
	subjunctive	ἀγαπῶμαι	ἀγαπᾷ	ἀγαπᾶται	ἀγαπᾶσθον	ἀγαπᾶσθον	ἀγαπώμεθᾰ	ἀγαπᾶσθε	ἀγαπῶνται
	optative	ἀγαπῴμην	ἀγαπῷο	ἀγαπῷτο	ἀγαπῷσθον	ἀγαπῴσθην	ἀγαπῴμεθᾰ	ἀγαπῷσθε	ἀγαπῷντο
	imperative		ἀγαπῶ	ἀγαπᾱ́σθω	ἀγαπᾶσθον	ἀγαπᾱ́σθων		ἀγαπᾶσθε	ἀγαπᾱ́σθων
		active				middle/passive
infinitive		ἀγαπᾶν				ἀγαπᾶσθαι
participle	m	ἀγαπῶν				ἀγαπώμενος
	f	ἀγαπῶσᾰ				ἀγαπωμένη
	n	ἀγαπῶν				ἀγαπώμενον
Notes:	This table gives Attic inflectional endings. For conjugation in dialects other than Attic, see Appendix:Ancient Greek dialectal conjugation.

Imperfect: ἠγάπᾰον, ἠγαπᾰόμην (Uncontracted)

number		singular			dual		plural
		first	second	third	second	third	first	second	third
active	indicative	ἠγάπᾰον	ἠγάπᾰες	ἠγάπᾰε(ν)	ἠγαπᾰ́ετον	ἠγαπᾰέτην	ἠγαπᾰ́ομεν	ἠγαπᾰ́ετε	ἠγάπᾰον
middle/ passive	indicative	ἠγαπᾰόμην	ἠγαπᾰ́ου	ἠγαπᾰ́ετο	ἠγαπᾰ́εσθον	ἠγαπᾰέσθην	ἠγαπᾰόμεθᾰ	ἠγαπᾰ́εσθε	ἠγαπᾰ́οντο
Notes:	This table gives Attic inflectional endings. For conjugation in dialects other than Attic, see Appendix:Ancient Greek dialectal conjugation.

Imperfect: ἠγάπων, ἠγαπώμην (Contracted)

number		singular			dual		plural
		first	second	third	second	third	first	second	third
active	indicative	ἠγάπων	ἠγάπᾱς	ἠγάπᾱ	ἠγαπᾶτον	ἠγαπᾱ́την	ἠγαπῶμεν	ἠγαπᾶτε	ἠγάπων
middle/ passive	indicative	ἠγαπώμην	ἠγαπῶ	ἠγαπᾶτο	ἠγαπᾶσθον	ἠγαπᾱ́σθην	ἠγαπώμεθᾰ	ἠγαπᾶσθε	ἠγαπῶντο
Notes:	This table gives Attic inflectional endings. For conjugation in dialects other than Attic, see Appendix:Ancient Greek dialectal conjugation.

Future: ἀγαπήσω, ἀγαπήσομαι, ἀγαπηθήσομαι

number		singular			dual		plural
		first	second	third	second	third	first	second	third
active	indicative	ἀγαπήσω	ἀγαπήσεις	ἀγαπήσει	ἀγαπήσετον	ἀγαπήσετον	ἀγαπήσομεν	ἀγαπήσετε	ἀγαπήσουσῐ(ν)
active	optative	ἀγαπήσοιμῐ	ἀγαπήσοις	ἀγαπήσοι	ἀγαπήσοιτον	ἀγαπησοίτην	ἀγαπήσοιμεν	ἀγαπήσοιτε	ἀγαπήσοιεν
middle	indicative	ἀγαπήσομαι	ἀγαπήσῃ, ἀγαπήσει	ἀγαπήσεται	ἀγαπήσεσθον	ἀγαπήσεσθον	ἀγαπησόμεθᾰ	ἀγαπήσεσθε	ἀγαπήσονται
middle	optative	ἀγαπησοίμην	ἀγαπήσοιο	ἀγαπήσοιτο	ἀγαπήσοισθον	ἀγαπησοίσθην	ἀγαπησοίμεθᾰ	ἀγαπήσοισθε	ἀγαπήσοιντο
passive	indicative	ἀγαπηθήσομαι	ἀγαπηθήσῃ	ἀγαπηθήσεται	ἀγαπηθήσεσθον	ἀγαπηθήσεσθον	ἀγαπηθησόμεθᾰ	ἀγαπηθήσεσθε	ἀγαπηθήσονται
passive	optative	ἀγαπηθησοίμην	ἀγαπηθήσοιο	ἀγαπηθήσοιτο	ἀγαπηθήσοισθον	ἀγαπηθησοίσθην	ἀγαπηθησοίμεθᾰ	ἀγαπηθήσοισθε	ἀγαπηθήσοιντο
		active			middle		passive
infinitive		ἀγαπήσειν			ἀγαπήσεσθαι		ἀγαπηθήσεσθαι
participle	m	ἀγαπήσων			ἀγαπησόμενος		ἀγαπηθησόμενος
	f	ἀγαπήσουσᾰ			ἀγαπησομένη		ἀγαπηθησομένη
	n	ἀγαπῆσον			ἀγαπησόμενον		ἀγαπηθησόμενον
Notes:	This table gives Attic inflectional endings. For conjugation in dialects other than Attic, see Appendix:Ancient Greek dialectal conjugation.

Aorist: ἠγάπησᾰ, ἠγαπησᾰ́μην, ἠγαπήθην

number		singular			dual		plural
		first	second	third	second	third	first	second	third
active	indicative	ἠγάπησᾰ	ἠγάπησᾰς	ἠγάπησε(ν)	ἠγαπήσᾰτον	ἠγαπησᾰ́την	ἠγαπήσᾰμεν	ἠγαπήσᾰτε	ἠγάπησᾰν
	subjunctive	ἀγαπήσω	ἀγαπήσῃς	ἀγαπήσῃ	ἀγαπήσητον	ἀγαπήσητον	ἀγαπήσωμεν	ἀγαπήσητε	ἀγαπήσωσῐ(ν)
	optative	ἀγαπήσαιμῐ	ἀγαπήσειᾰς, ἀγαπήσαις	ἀγαπήσειε(ν), ἀγαπήσαι	ἀγαπήσαιτον	ἀγαπησαίτην	ἀγαπήσαιμεν	ἀγαπήσαιτε	ἀγαπήσειᾰν, ἀγαπήσαιεν
	imperative		ἀγάπησον	ἀγαπησᾰ́τω	ἀγαπήσᾰτον	ἀγαπησᾰ́των		ἀγαπήσᾰτε	ἀγαπησᾰ́ντων
middle	indicative	ἠγαπησᾰ́μην	ἠγαπήσω	ἠγαπήσᾰτο	ἠγαπήσᾰσθον	ἠγαπησᾰ́σθην	ἠγαπησᾰ́μεθᾰ	ἠγαπήσᾰσθε	ἠγαπήσᾰντο
	subjunctive	ἀγαπήσωμαι	ἀγαπήσῃ	ἀγαπήσηται	ἀγαπήσησθον	ἀγαπήσησθον	ἀγαπησώμεθᾰ	ἀγαπήσησθε	ἀγαπήσωνται
	optative	ἀγαπησαίμην	ἀγαπήσαιο	ἀγαπήσαιτο	ἀγαπήσαισθον	ἀγαπησαίσθην	ἀγαπησαίμεθᾰ	ἀγαπήσαισθε	ἀγαπήσαιντο
	imperative		ἀγάπησαι	ἀγαπησᾰ́σθω	ἀγαπήσᾰσθον	ἀγαπησᾰ́σθων		ἀγαπήσᾰσθε	ἀγαπησᾰ́σθων
passive	indicative	ἠγαπήθην	ἠγαπήθης	ἠγαπήθη	ἠγαπήθητον	ἠγαπηθήτην	ἠγαπήθημεν	ἠγαπήθητε	ἠγαπήθησᾰν
	subjunctive	ἀγαπηθῶ	ἀγαπηθῇς	ἀγαπηθῇ	ἀγαπηθῆτον	ἀγαπηθῆτον	ἀγαπηθῶμεν	ἀγαπηθῆτε	ἀγαπηθῶσῐ(ν)
	optative	ἀγαπηθείην	ἀγαπηθείης	ἀγαπηθείη	ἀγαπηθεῖτον, ἀγαπηθείητον	ἀγαπηθείτην, ἀγαπηθειήτην	ἀγαπηθεῖμεν, ἀγαπηθείημεν	ἀγαπηθεῖτε, ἀγαπηθείητε	ἀγαπηθεῖεν, ἀγαπηθείησᾰν
	imperative		ἀγαπήθητῐ	ἀγαπηθήτω	ἀγαπήθητον	ἀγαπηθήτων		ἀγαπήθητε	ἀγαπηθέντων
		active			middle		passive
infinitive		ἀγαπῆσαι			ἀγαπήσᾰσθαι		ἀγαπηθῆναι
participle	m	ἀγαπήσᾱς			ἀγαπησᾰ́μενος		ἀγαπηθείς
	f	ἀγαπήσᾱσᾰ			ἀγαπησᾰμένη		ἀγαπηθεῖσᾰ
	n	ἀγαπῆσᾰν			ἀγαπησᾰ́μενον		ἀγαπηθέν
Notes:	This table gives Attic inflectional endings. For conjugation in dialects other than Attic, see Appendix:Ancient Greek dialectal conjugation.

Perfect: ἠγάπηκᾰ

number		singular			dual		plural
		first	second	third	second	third	first	second	third
active	indicative	ἠγάπηκᾰ	ἠγάπηκᾰς	ἠγάπηκε(ν)	ἠγαπήκᾰτον	ἠγαπήκᾰτον	ἠγαπήκᾰμεν	ἠγαπήκᾰτε	ἠγαπήκᾱσῐ(ν)
	subjunctive	ἠγαπήκω	ἠγαπήκῃς	ἠγαπήκῃ	ἠγαπήκητον	ἠγαπήκητον	ἠγαπήκωμεν	ἠγαπήκητε	ἠγαπήκωσῐ(ν)
	optative	ἠγαπήκοιμῐ, ἠγαπηκοίην	ἠγαπήκοις, ἠγαπηκοίης	ἠγαπήκοι, ἠγαπηκοίη	ἠγαπήκοιτον	ἠγαπηκοίτην	ἠγαπήκοιμεν	ἠγαπήκοιτε	ἠγαπήκοιεν
	imperative		ἠγάπηκε	ἠγαπηκέτω	ἠγαπήκετον	ἠγαπηκέτων		ἠγαπήκετε	ἠγαπηκόντων
		active
infinitive		ἠγαπηκέναι
participle	m	ἠγαπηκώς
	f	ἠγαπηκυῖᾰ
	n	ἠγαπηκός
Notes:	This table gives Attic inflectional endings. For conjugation in dialects other than Attic, see Appendix:Ancient Greek dialectal conjugation.

Pluperfect: ἠγαπήκειν

number		singular			dual		plural
		first	second	third	second	third	first	second	third
active	indicative	ἠγαπήκειν, ἠγαπήκη	ἠγαπήκεις, ἠγαπήκης	ἠγαπήκει(ν)	ἠγαπήκετον	ἠγαπηκέτην	ἠγαπήκεμεν	ἠγαπήκετε	ἠγαπήκεσᾰν
Notes:	This table gives Attic inflectional endings. For conjugation in dialects other than Attic, see Appendix:Ancient Greek dialectal conjugation.

Synonyms

ἐράω (eráō)
στέργω (stérgō)
φιλέω (philéō)

Derived terms

ἀγάπη (agápē)
ἀγαπητός (agapētós)
Ἀγαπητός (Agapētós)
Ἀγάπιος (Agápios)

Related terms

ἀγαπάζω (agapázō)

Descendants

Greek: αγαπώ (agapó), αγαπάω (agapáo)
Mariupol Greek: агапу́ (ahapú)

References

^ Pinault, Georges-Jean (1991). “Grandeur et excès. Avatars du morphème ἀγα‑ dans le lexique et le discours”. Revue de Philologie 65, 195–218.
^ Beekes, Robert S. P. (2010) “ἀγαπάω”, in Etymological Dictionary of Greek (Leiden Indo-European Etymological Dictionary Series; 10), with the assistance of Lucien van Beek, Leiden, Boston: Brill, →ISBN, page 8
^ Szemerényi, Oswald (1971) “Pierre Chantraine: Dictionnaire étymologique de la langue grecque: Histoire des mots”, in Gnomon, volume 43, →DOI, page 650
^ Szemerényi, Oswald (1974) “The origins of the Greek lexicon: Ex Oriente Lux”, in The Journal of Hellenic Studies‎^[1], volume 94, →DOI, page 150
^ Levin, Saul (1995) Semitic and Indo-European. The Principal Etymologies. With Observations on Afro-Asiatic (Current Issues in Linguistic Theory; 129), volume I, Amsterdam and Philadelphia: John Benjamins Publishing, page 292
^ Cornelius, Friedrich (1960) Geistesgeschichte der Frühzeit. Von der Eiszeit bis zur Erfindung der Keilschrift, volume I, Leiden, Köln: E.J. Brill, pages 205–6
^ Chirikba, Viacheslav A. (1996) A Dictionary of Common Abkhaz‎^[2], Leiden, pages 36–37