πρᾶος

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See also: πράος

Ancient Greek

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Alternative forms

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Etymology

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Probably from earlier πραΰς (praǘs), regularly derived from Proto-Indo-European *preh₂-i-u-, from *preh₂- (to like, feel friendly/well-disposed). Cognate with Latvian prieks (joy), Old Church Slavonic приꙗзнь (prijaznĭ, friendship), Sanskrit प्रिय (priya, dear, beloved), Welsh rhydd (free), Old English frēo (English free.)

Adjective

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πρᾶος (prâosm (feminine πραεῖᾰ, neuter πρᾶον); first/second declension

  1. soft, gentle
    • Homeric Hymns, Homeric Hymn to Ares 10:
      πρηῢ καταστίλβων σέλας ὑψόθεν ἐς βιότητα ἡμετέρην
      prēǜ katastílbōn sélas hupsóthen es biótēta hēmetérēn
      Shed down a soft ray from above upon my life!
    • 522 BCE – 443 BCE, Pindar, Pythian Ode 3.71:
      ὃς Συρακόσσαισι νέμει βασιλεὺς πραῢς ἀστοῖς
      hòs Surakóssaisi némei basileùs praǜs astoîs
      [...] the king who rules Syracuse, gentle to his citizens [...]
  2. tame
    • 430 BCE – 354 BCE, Xenophon, Anabasis 1.4.9:
      τὸν Χάλον ποταμόν, ὄντα τὸ εὖρος πλέθρου, πλήρη δ’ ἰχθύων μεγάλων καὶ πραέων
      tòn Khálon potamón, ónta tò eûros pléthrou, plḗrē d’ ikhthúōn megálōn kaì praéōn
      [...] the Chalus river, which is a plethrum in width and full of large, tame fish [...]
  3. mild
    • 428 BCE – 347 BCE, Plato, Laws 888a:
      πῶς τούτους ἄν τις ἐν πρᾳέσι λόγοις δύναιτο νουθετῶν
      pôs toútous án tis en prāiési lógois dúnaito nouthetôn
      How, I ask, can one possibly use mild terms in admonishing such men?

Usage notes

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In Attic, Tragedy, and Comedy, πρᾶος is used in the singular, except that the feminine is always πραεῖα. Forms from πραΰς (Ionic πρηΰς) are used in Epic and Lyric poetry, as well as in Xenophon, the Septuagint, Polybius, etc.
The iota subscript (viz. πρᾷος) is written in manuscripts, but not inscriptions. **πρᾳΰς does not appear. This adjective is not used in Homer.

Inflection

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Antonyms

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Derived terms

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References

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