κατά

See also: κατα-, κατά-, and κᾷτα

Ancient Greek

Alternative forms

Etymology

From Proto-Hellenic *kətá, perhaps from Proto-Indo-European *ḱm̥-teh₂, from *ḱóm.[1]

Cognate with Hittite 𒅗𒀜𒋫 (katta, down from, at, with, under), Tocharian B kätk- (to lower) and perhaps Old Welsh cant, Modern Welsh gan (with).

The genitive is from the PIE ablative of separation. The accusative is from the pre-PIE directional and the PIE direct object.

Pronunciation

 

Preposition

κᾰτᾰ́ • (katá) (governs the genitive and accusative)

  1. [+genitive]
    1. against, opposing
    2. into
    3. against
  2. [+accusative]
    1. downwards
    2. along, through, in
    3. towards
    4. during
    5. for, for the purpose of
    6. according to, in conformity with

Derived terms

Descendants

  • Greek: κατά (katá)
  • Latin: cata (see there for further descendants)
  • English: cata-

Further reading

  1. Pokorny, Julius (1959) Indogermanisches etymologisches Wörterbuch [Indo-European Etymological Dictionary] (in German), volume 2, Bern, München: Francke Verlag, page 612

Greek

Alternative forms

Etymology

From the Ancient Greek κᾰτά (katá).

Pronunciation

  • IPA(key): /kaˈta/

Preposition

κατά • (katá)

  1. (with genitive) versus, against
    Antonym: υπέρ (ypér)
    Έγινε έγκλημα κατά της Ελλάδας!Égine égklima katá tis Elládas!Crimes were committed against Greece!
  2. (with accusative) towards
    Το δωμάτιο βλέπει κατά την ανατολή.To domátio vlépei katá tin anatolí.The room faces towards the east
  3. (with accusative) during
    κατά τη διάρκεια του ταξιδιούkatá ti diárkeia tou taxidioúduring the trip (literally, “toward the duration of the trip”)
  4. (with accusative) around, about, close to
    Θα έρθω κατά τις έξι το απόγευμα.Tha értho katá tis éxi to apógevma.I will come at about six in the evening.
  5. (with accusative) according
    κατά τον Γιώργο ...katá ton Giórgo ...according to George ...

Synonyms

Derived terms

  • ανάκατα (anákata, topsy-turvy, higgledy-piggledy, adverb)
  • καθ' εκάστην (kath' ekástin, every day) (Katharevousa)
  • καθέκαστα n pl (kathékasta, details, particulars)
  • κατ΄ αποκοπήν (with a prearranged payment)
  • κατά βάση (katá vási, basically)
  • κατά διαβολική σύμπτωση (katá diavolikí sýmptosi, by diabolical coincidence)
  • κατά διαβόλου σύμπτωση (katá diavólou sýmptosi, by diabolical coincidence) (less frequent)
  • κατά διαόλου σύμπτωση (katá diaólou sýmptosi, by diabolical coincidence) (less frequent)
  • κατά καιρούς (katá kairoús, at times)
  • κατά κόσμον (katá kósmon, name of a clergyman before confirmation)
  • κατά μέτωπον (katá métopon, head-on, in full force)
  • κατά πως (katá pos, according (to))
  • κατά τη διάρκεια (katá ti diárkeia, during, for the duration of)
  • κατεξοχήν (katexochín, eminently)
  • το κατά δύναμιν (to katá dýnamin, to (my) best efforts, in (my) power), το κατά δύναμη
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