ἐγγύη

Ancient Greek

Alternative forms

ἐγγῠ́ᾱ (engúā)

Etymology

It is usually assumed that this word contains the preposition ἐν- (en-, “in”) + *γύη (*gúē), a lost word for "hand", which is preserved in Avestan 𐬔𐬀𐬎𐬎𐬀 (gauua, “hand”), as well as in ὑπόγυιος (hupóguios, “nigh at end, imminent”). The Avestan form is ambiguous, however, as it can also continue *gabʰa- and be related to Sanskrit गभस्ति (gabhasti, “arm or hand”), which makes the etymology doubtful.

Further, Greek has γύαλον (gúalon, “hollow of a cuirass”), γυῖον (guîon, “hand”), and γύης (gúēs, “earth”), and from other languages, we may adduce Lithuanian gáuti (“to get, obtain”), suggesting a derivation from Proto-Indo-European *gew- (“hand”). See also ἐγγύς (engús, “nearby”).^[1]

Pronunciation

(5^th BCE Attic) IPA^(key): /eŋ.ɡý.ɛː/
(1^st CE Egyptian) IPA^(key): /eŋˈɡy.e̝/
(4^th CE Koine) IPA^(key): /eɲˈɟy.i/
(10^th CE Byzantine) IPA^(key): /eɲˈɟy.i/
(15^th CE Constantinopolitan) IPA^(key): /eɲˈɟi.i/

Noun

ἐγγῠ́η • (engúē) f (genitive ἐγγῠ́ης); first declension

pledge, surety, security, whether received or given
Synonyms: ἐνέχῠρον (enékhuron), ῥῡ́σῐον (rhū́sion), ὑποθήκη (hupothḗkē)
betrothal, contract for a future marriage

Inflection

First declension of ἡ ἐγγῠ́η; τῆς ἐγγῠ́ης (Attic)

Case / #	Singular	Dual	Plural
Nominative	ἡ ἐγγῠ́η hē engúē	τὼ ἐγγῠ́ᾱ tṑ engúā	αἱ ἐγγῠ́αι hai engúai
Genitive	τῆς ἐγγῠ́ης tês engúēs	τοῖν ἐγγῠ́αιν toîn engúain	τῶν ἐγγῠῶν tôn enguôn
Dative	τῇ ἐγγῠ́ῃ têi engúēi	τοῖν ἐγγῠ́αιν toîn engúain	ταῖς ἐγγῠ́αις taîs engúais
Accusative	τὴν ἐγγῠ́ην tḕn engúēn	τὼ ἐγγῠ́ᾱ tṑ engúā	τᾱ̀ς ἐγγῠ́ᾱς tā̀s engúās
Vocative	ἐγγῠ́η engúē	ἐγγῠ́ᾱ engúā	ἐγγῠ́αι engúai
Notes:	This table gives Attic inflectional endings. For declension in other dialects, see Appendix:Ancient Greek dialectal declension.

Derived terms

ἐγγῠᾰ́ω (enguáō)
ἐγγῠ́ημᾰ (engúēma)
ἐγγῠ́ησῐς (engúēsis)
ἐγγῠητής (enguētḗs)
ἐγγῠητῐκός (enguētikós)
ἐγγῠητός (enguētós)
ἐγγῠήτρῐᾱ (enguḗtriā)
ἔγγῠος (énguos)
ἐχέγγῠος (ekhénguos)
προέγγῠος (proénguos)
ὑπέγγῠος (hupénguos)
φερέγγῠος (pherénguos)

References

^ Beekes, Robert S. P. (2010) “ἐγγύη”, in Etymological Dictionary of Greek (Leiden Indo-European Etymological Dictionary Series; 10), with the assistance of Lucien van Beek, Leiden, Boston: Brill, →ISBN, page 369