aorist

[ ey-uh-rist ]

Phonetic (Standard)IPA

noun

a verb tense, as in Classical Greek, expressing action or, in the indicative mood, past action, without further limitation or implication.

adjective

of or in this tense.

aorist

/ ˈeɪərɪst; ˈɛərɪst /

noun

grammar a tense of the verb in classical Greek and in certain other inflected languages, indicating past action without reference to whether the action involved was momentary or continuous Compare perfect imperfect

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Derived Forms

ˌ��ˈ��پ��, adverb
ˌ��ˈ��پ��, adjective

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Word History and Origins

Origin of aorist¹

1575–85; < Greek ��ó��ٴǲ� unlimited, equivalent to a- a- ⁶ + ( h ) �ǰ��ó�� limited ( *horid- (base of ��ǰ�í��𾱲� to bound, limit; horizon ) + -tos adj. suffix)

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Word History and Origins

Origin of aorist¹

C16: from Greek aoristos not limited, from a- ¹+ horistos restricted, from horizein to define

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Example Sentences

Examples have not been reviewed.

After breakfast I went back to my room and began to work on the irregular second aorists.

From

The middle and passive voices are alike except in two tenses, the future and the aorist.

From

No new second aorists, we may be sure, were formed any more than new “strong” tenses, such as came or sang, can be formed in English.

From

N. Note the change from the imperative to the aorist.

From

Other forms which Greek has added to the original system are the pluperfect—in form a past of the perfect stem with aorist endings.

From

Aoraki-Mount Cook aoristic

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