γυνή

Ancient Greek

Ἡ γυνὴ καλεῖται Σαπφὼ Λέσβου.

Alternative forms

βανά (baná) — Boeotian
γυνά (guná) — Doric

Etymology

From Proto-Hellenic *gʷonā, from Proto-Indo-European *gʷḗn (“woman”). Cognates include Mycenaean Greek 𐀓𐀙𐀊 (ku-na-ja), Sanskrit ग्ना (gnā́), जनि (jáni), Old Armenian կին (kin), and Old English cwēn (English queen).

The weak stem is probably from the strong stem suffixed with *-keh₂ (compare μέγᾰς (mégas)). Compare also Latin mulier for the development of using hypocorisms to refer to women. (Can this⁽⁺⁾ etymology be sourced?)

Pronunciation

(5^th BCE Attic) IPA^(key): /ɡy.nɛ̌ː/
(1^st CE Egyptian) IPA^(key): /ɡyˈne̝/
(4^th CE Koine) IPA^(key): /ʝyˈni/
(10^th CE Byzantine) IPA^(key): /ʝyˈni/
(15^th CE Constantinopolitan) IPA^(key): /ʝiˈni/

Noun

γῠνή • (gunḗ) f (genitive γῠναικός); third declension

woman, female
- 412 BCE, Euripides, Helen 329:
  Γυναῖκα γὰρ δὴ συμπονεῖν γυναικὶ χρή.
  Gunaîka gàr dḕ sumponeîn gunaikì khrḗ.
  A woman ought to help a woman.
wife

Declension

Irregular declension of ἡ γῠνή; τῆς γῠναικός (Attic)

Case / #	Singular	Dual	Plural
Nominative	ἡ γῠνή hē gunḗ	τὼ γῠναῖκε tṑ gunaîke	αἱ γῠναῖκες hai gunaîkes
Genitive	τῆς γῠναικός tês gunaikós	τοῖν γῠναικοῖν toîn gunaikoîn	τῶν γῠναικῶν tôn gunaikôn
Dative	τῇ γῠναικί têi gunaikí	τοῖν γῠναικοῖν toîn gunaikoîn	ταῖς γῠναιξί / γῠναιξίν taîs gunaixí(n)
Accusative	τὴν γῠναῖκᾰ tḕn gunaîka	τὼ γῠναῖκε tṑ gunaîke	τᾱ̀ς γῠναῖκᾰς tā̀s gunaîkas
Vocative	γύναι gúnai	γῠναῖκε gunaîke	γῠναῖκες gunaîkes
Notes:	This table gives Attic inflectional endings. For declension in other dialects, see Appendix:Ancient Greek dialectal declension.

Irregular declension of ᾱ̔ γῠνά; τᾶς γῠναικός (Doric)

Case / #	Singular	Dual	Plural
Nominative	ᾱ̔ γῠνά hā guná	τὼ γῠναῖκε tṑ gunaîke	ταὶ γῠναῖκες taì gunaîkes
Genitive	τᾶς γῠναικός tâs gunaikós	τοῖν γῠναικαῖν toîn gunaikaîn	τᾶν γῠναικᾶν tân gunaikân
Dative	τᾷ γῠναικί tâi gunaikí	τοῖν γῠναικαῖν toîn gunaikaîn	ταῖς γῠναιξί / γῠναιξίν taîs gunaixí(n)
Accusative	τᾱ̀ν γῠναῖκᾰ tā̀n gunaîka	τὼ γῠναῖκε tṑ gunaîke	τᾱ̀ς γῠναῖκᾰς tā̀s gunaîkas
Vocative	γύναι gúnai	γῠναῖκε gunaîke	γῠναῖκες gunaîkes
Notes:	Dialects other than Attic are not well attested. Some forms may be based on conjecture. Use with caution.

Antonyms

ἀνήρ (anḗr, “man, male”)

Derived terms

καλλιγύναιξ (kalligúnaix)

Descendants

Greek (Modern & varieties):
- ⇒ Greek: γυναίκα (gynaíka)
- ⇒ Tsakonian: γουναίκα (gounaíka)