εἰμί

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See also: εἶμι, εἰμι, and Έιμι

Ancient Greek

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Alternative forms

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Etymology

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From Proto-Hellenic *ehmi, from Proto-Indo-European *h₁ésmi (I am, I exist).

Cognate with Old English eom (whence English am), Latin sum, Sanskrit अस्मि (ásmi), Old Armenian եմ (em), and so on. More at *h₁es- (to be, exist). Not to be confused with εἶμι (eîmi) (to go).

Pronunciation

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Verb

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εἰμῐ́ (eimí)

  1. to be, exist; (of persons) live
    1. (of events) to happen
    2. to be the case
      • a. 1452/1454, Plethon, “λϛʹ. Προσρήσεών τε καὶ ὕμνων χρήσεως διάταξις. [CHAPTER 36. Instruction for the use of addresses and hymns]”, in Νομων Συγγραφη. [Book of Laws]‎[1], translation of original by John Opsopaus, PhD:
        ...ἐάν δ’ ἱερέων μηδεὶς παρῇ, τὸν τῆς προσκυνήσεως κατάρξαντα ἰδιώτην, καὶ ταύτην ἐπιλέγειν τὴν εὐχήν, οὐκέτι μέντοι ἐπαίροντα τὼ χεῖρε· πρὸς δέ, καὶ ἀντὶ τοῦ ὑμῖν, ἡμῖν λέγοντα· καὶ τοὺς λοιπούς· ‘εἶεν· εἶεν· εἶεν’, ὑποκριναμένους, οὕτω ἀπολύεσθαι·
        ...eán d’ hieréōn mēdeìs parêi, tòn tês proskunḗseōs katárxanta idiṓtēn, kaì taútēn epilégein tḕn eukhḗn, oukéti méntoi epaíronta tṑ kheîre; pròs dé, kaì antì toû humîn, hēmîn légonta; kaì toùs loipoús; ‘eîen; eîen; eîen’, hupokrinaménous, hoútō apolúesthai;
        ...But if no priest is present, the individual who began the adoration also adds the prayer, but without raising [his] hands, in addition saying “us” instead of “you”; and the rest, answering “Be it so! Be it so! Be it so!”, are thus released.
  2. (copulative) to be [with nominative ‘something, someone’]
  3. (third person, impersonal) it is possible [with infinitive ‘that ...’]

Usage notes

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Inflection

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Synonyms

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Derived terms

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Descendants

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  • Byzantine Greek: εἶμαι (eîmai)
  • Mariupol Greek: и́ми (ími)

Further reading

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