μέγας - Wiktionary, the free dictionary (original) (raw)

From conflation of Proto-Indo-European *méǵh₂s (“great”) with its derivative *meǵh₂los (“great”).[1] Cognates include Sanskrit मह (mahá, “great, mighty, strong, abundant”), Middle Persian ms (meh, “great”) (< *mas), (Persian مه (meh)), Avestan 𐬨𐬀𐬰- (maz-, “large”), Tocharian B māka (“large”), Hittite [script needed] (mēkkis, “much, many, numerous”), Old Armenian մեծ (mec), Old Irish maige (“great, large”), Albanian madh (“large”), Latin magnus and Old English miċel (English much).

μέγᾰς (mégas) m (feminine μεγάλη, neuter μέγᾰ); first/second declension

  1. big, large
  2. great, mighty, loud
  3. marvelous, awesome
  1. ^ Beekes, Robert S. P. (2010) “μέγας”, in Etymological Dictionary of Greek (Leiden Indo-European Etymological Dictionary Series; 10), with the assistance of Lucien van Beek, Leiden, Boston: Brill, →ISBN, pages 917-8

From Ancient Greek μέγας, from Proto-Indo-European *méǵh₂s (“great”).

μέγας (mégas) m (feminine μεγάλη, neuter μέγα)

  1. (formal, pompous) great, very important
    • 1959 Odysseas Elytis. poem: Άξιον Εστί (To Axion Esti "It Is Worthy")
      ΑΥΤΟΣ
      ο κόσμος ο μικρός, ο μέγας!
      AFTOS
      o kósmos o mikrós, o mégas!
      THIS
      the small world, the great!
      The Collected Poems of Odysseus Elytis @books.google
      είναι μέγας νομικόςeínai mégas nomikós ― he is a great legal mind
      Synonym: τρανός (tranós)
    1. (ironically)
      είναι μέγας απατεώνeínai mégas apateón ― he is a huge conman
      μέγα λάθος!méga láthos!big mistake!
  2. (for important places and historical figures): with capital M → Μέγας (Mégas)
    Μέγας Αλέξανδρος / o Αλέξανδρος ο ΜέγαςMégas Aléxandros / o Aléxandros o Mégas ― Alexander the Great
    Μεγάλη Αικατερίνη / η Αικατερίνη η ΜεγάληMegáli Aikateríni / i Aikateríni i Megáli ― Catherine the Great