λίθος

Ancient Greek

Etymology

Has been compared to λεῖος (leîos, “smooth”), λιτός (litós, “simple, plain”), Latin laedō (“to strike, hurt”), and Lithuanian slidùs (“slippery, slick”). Beekes argues for a Pre-Greek origin, noting that words for "stone" are often taken from a substrate language.

Pronunciation
 

Noun

λῐ́θος • (líthos) m (genitive λῐ́θου); second declension

  1. a stone
    Synonym: πέτρος (pétros)
  2. stone as a substance
    Synonym: πέτρα (pétra)
  3. stone, pebble (used as as piece in a board-game)
  4. large rock or stone block, used as a seat to a speaker's platform, especially in the Assembly or in the Athenian agora, where archons, arbitrators and certain witnesses swore oaths

Usage notes

Λίθος is sometimes used as a feminine noun. This often (but not always) is used to refer to some special stone, such as a gem or magnet.

Declension
Second declension of ὁ, ἡ λῐ́θος; τοῦ, τῆς λῐ́θου (Attic)
Case / # Singular Dual Plural
Nominative ὁ, ἡ λῐ́θος
ho, hē líthos		 τὼ λῐ́θω
tṑ líthō		 οἱ, αἱ λῐ́θοι
hoi, hai líthoi
Genitive τοῦ, τῆς λῐ́θου
toû, tês líthou		 τοῖν λῐ́θοιν
toîn líthoin		 τῶν λῐ́θων
tôn líthōn
Dative τῷ, τῇ λῐ́θῳ
tôi, têi líthōi		 τοῖν λῐ́θοιν
toîn líthoin		 τοῖς, ταῖς λῐ́θοις
toîs, taîs líthois
Accusative τὸν, τὴν λῐ́θον
tòn, tḕn líthon		 τὼ λῐ́θω
tṑ líthō		 τοὺς, τᾱ̀ς λῐ́θους
toùs, tā̀s líthous
Vocative λῐ́θε
líthe		 λῐ́θω
líthō		 λῐ́θοι
líthoi
Notes:
  • This table gives Attic inflectional endings. For declension in other dialects, see Appendix:Ancient Greek dialectal declension.

Derived terms

Descendants
Descendants of λίθος in other languages
  • → Catalan: liti (learned)
  • → English: -lite
  • → English: -lith
  • → English: lith-, litho-
  • → Georgian: ლითონი (litoni)
  • →⇒ New Latin: lithium (see there for further descendants)

Further reading

Greek

Etymology

Learnedly, from Ancient Greek λίθος (líthos), masculine (also feminine).

Pronunciation
  • IPA(key): /ˈli.θos/
  • Hyphenation: λί‧θος

Noun

λίθος • (líthos) m or f (plural λίθοι)

  1. masculine form:
    1. stone (building material)
      ο θεμέλιος λίθος ― o themélios líthos ― the foundation stone
    2. (medicine, formal) stone, calculus
    3. (archaeology) Εποχή του Λίθου (“Stone Age”)
  2. feminine form (in phrases): special "stones":
    1. λυδία λίθος (“touch stone”)
    2. φιλοσοφική λίθος (“philosopher's stone”)

Declension
declension of λίθος
case     \     number singular plural
nominative λίθος • λίθοι •
genitive λίθου • λίθων •
accusative λίθο • λίθους •
vocative λίθε • λίθοι •

Synonyms

Coordinate terms
Expressions
  • ακρογωνιαίος λίθος m (akrogoniaíos líthos, “cornerstone”)
  • ημιπολύτιμος λίθος m (imipolýtimos líthos)
  • κινώ πάντα λίθον (kinó pánta líthon)
  • λίθοι, πλίνθοι και κέραμοι ατάκτως ερριμένα (líthoi, plínthoi kai kéramoi atáktos erriména)
    ancient: λίθοι καὶ πλίνθοι καὶ ξύλα καὶ κέραμος ἀτάκτως ἐρριμμένα (líthoi kaì plínthoi kaì xúla kaì kéramos atáktōs errhimména)
  • θεμέλιος λίθος m (themélios líthos)
  • πολύτιμος λίθος m (polýtimos líthos)
Derivatives and compounds

Further reading
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