οἷος

See also: οἰός, οἶος, and ὄϊος

Ancient Greek

Etymology

From ὅς (hós, relative pronoun) +‎ -ιος (-ios, adjectival suffix).

Pronunciation

(5^th BCE Attic) IPA^(key): /hôi̯.os/
(1^st CE Egyptian) IPA^(key): /ˈ(h)y.os/
(4^th CE Koine) IPA^(key): /ˈy.os/
(10^th CE Byzantine) IPA^(key): /ˈy.os/
(15^th CE Constantinopolitan) IPA^(key): /ˈi.os/

Determiner

οἷος • (hoîos) (feminine οἵᾱ, neuter οἷον)

relative adjective of quality such as; what sort, manner, kind of
- 800 BCE – 600 BCE, Homer, Iliad 24.630
- 800 BCE – 600 BCE, Homer, Iliad 5.758
- 800 BCE – 600 BCE, Homer, Iliad 13.275
- 800 BCE – 600 BCE, Homer, Iliad 13.298
1. introducing an exclamation
  1. (in an independent clause) what a (great, terrible) ...!
    - 800 BCE – 600 BCE, Homer, Iliad 7.455:
      οἷον ἔειπες.
      hoîon éeipes.
      What a terrible thing you have said!
    - 366 BCE – 348 BCE, Plato, Theaetetus 142B:
      οἷον ἄνδρα λέγεις ἐν κινδύνῳ εἶναι.
      hoîon ándra légeis en kindúnōi eînai.
      1921 translation by Harold N. Fowler
      What a [great] man he is who you say is in danger!
    - 458 BCE, Aeschylus, Agamemnon 1256
    - 472 BCE, Aeschylus, The Persians 733
    - 380 BCE, Plato, The Republic 450A
    - 399 BCE, Plato, Euthyphro 15E
  2. (in a subordinate clause) the (great, terrible) sort that
    - 430 BCE – 354 BCE, Xenophon, Anabasis 3.1.15:
      ἐγώ, ὦ ἄνδρες λοχαγοί, οὔτε καθεύδειν δύναμαι, ὥσπερ οἶμαι οὐδ’ ὑμεῖς, οὔτε κατακεῖσθαι ἔτι, ὁρῶν ἐν οἵοις ἐσμέν.
      egṓ, ô ándres lokhagoí, oúte katheúdein dúnamai, hṓsper oîmai oud’ humeîs, oúte katakeîsthai éti, horôn en hoíois esmén.
      Commanders, I can neither sleep, as I suppose neither can you, nor lie down, seeing the terrible sort of situation we are in.
    - 429 BCE, Sophocles, Oedipus the King 624
    - 429 BCE, Sophocles, Oedipus the King 1402
    - 429 BCE, Sophocles, Oedipus the King 1488
    - 430 BCE – 354 BCE, Xenophon, Cyropaedia 3.2.12
2. containing a comparison, and sometimes an inference
  - 800 BCE – 600 BCE, Homer, Iliad 18.591
  - 429 BCE, Sophocles, Oedipus the King 1296
  - 800 BCE – 600 BCE, Homer, Iliad 22.317
  - 458 BCE, Aeschylus, Agamemnon 399
  - 472 BCE, Aeschylus, The Persians 21
  - 800 BCE – 600 BCE, Homer, Iliad 24.376
  - 800 BCE – 600 BCE, Homer, Iliad 6.146
  - 458 BCE, Aeschylus, Agamemnon 607
  - 458 BCE, Aeschylus, Agamemnon 1046
  - 430 BCE – 354 BCE, Xenophon, Cyropaedia 1.6.19
  - 800 BCE – 600 BCE, Homer, Iliad 7.208
  - 800 BCE – 600 BCE, Homer, Iliad 17.157
  - 800 BCE – 600 BCE, Homer, Odyssey 7.106
  - 800 BCE – 600 BCE, Homer, Odyssey 20.35
  - 800 BCE – 600 BCE, Homer, Iliad 5.638
  - 800 BCE – 600 BCE, Homer, Odyssey 9.348
  - 428 BCE – 347 BCE, Plato, Protagoras 313A
  - 384 BCE – 322 BCE, Demosthenes, Against Timocrates 185
  - 800 BCE – 600 BCE, Homer, Iliad 1.263
  - 460 BCE – 395 BCE, Thucydides, History of the Peloponnesian War 7.21
  - 430 BCE – 354 BCE, Xenophon, Memorabilia 2.9.3
  - 386 BCE – 367 BCE, Plato, Parmenides 161B
  1. in many Homeric expressions the omission of the antecedent clause is to be noticed
    - 800 BCE – 600 BCE, Homer, Iliad 18.95
    - 800 BCE – 600 BCE, Homer, Iliad 22.347
    - 800 BCE – 600 BCE, Homer, Odyssey 4.611
  2. especially in Attic often stands for ὅτι τοῖος/τοία/τοῖον (hóti toîos/toía/toîon), so that the relative introduces the reason for the preceding statement
    - 800 BCE – 600 BCE, Homer, Iliad 6.166
    - 800 BCE – 600 BCE, Homer, Odyssey 16.93
    - 800 BCE – 600 BCE, Homer, Odyssey 17.479
    - 460 BCE – 420 BCE, Herodotus, Histories 1.31
    - 460 BCE – 395 BCE, Thucydides, History of the Peloponnesian War 2.41
    - 428 BCE – 347 BCE, Plato, Phaedo 117C
    - 429 BCE, Sophocles, Oedipus the King 701
  3. if it is to be intimated that the reason is self-evident, and the assertion is beyond doubt, then δή (dḗ) is added
    - 800 BCE – 600 BCE, Homer, Iliad 24.376
    - 800 BCE – 600 BCE, Homer, Iliad 6.146
    - 458 BCE, Aeschylus, Agamemnon 607
    - 458 BCE, Aeschylus, Agamemnon 1046
    - 430 BCE – 354 BCE, Xenophon, Cyropaedia 1.6.19
  4. but if the comparison or inference only denotes a general or doubtful resemblance, then Homer uses οἷός τε (hoîós te)
    - 800 BCE – 600 BCE, Homer, Iliad 7.208
    - 800 BCE – 600 BCE, Homer, Iliad 17.157
    - 800 BCE – 600 BCE, Homer, Odyssey 7.106
    - 800 BCE – 600 BCE, Homer, Odyssey 20.35
    - 800 BCE – 600 BCE, Homer, Iliad 5.638
    - 800 BCE – 600 BCE, Homer, Odyssey 9.348
    - 428 BCE – 347 BCE, Plato, Protagoras 313A
  5. when a comparison involves a definition of time οἷος ὅτε (hoîos hóte) is used
    - 800 BCE – 600 BCE, Homer, Odyssey 10.462
    - 800 BCE – 600 BCE, Homer, Odyssey 22.227
  6. many brief Attic expressions are also explained by the omission of the demonstrative pronoun before οἷος (hoîos)
    - 414 BCE, Aristophanes, The Birds 966
    - 380 BCE, Plato, Gorgias 447C
    - 380 BCE, Plato, Gorgias 481B
  7. never used like the adverb οἷον (hoîon) with a positive adjective
    - 800 BCE – 600 BCE, Homer, Iliad 11.653
    - 800 BCE – 600 BCE, Homer, Iliad 15.94
    - 800 BCE – 600 BCE, Homer, Iliad 21.108
    - 800 BCE – 600 BCE, Homer, Odyssey 19.493
    - 460 BCE – 420 BCE, Herodotus, Histories 4.28
    - 430 BCE – 354 BCE, Xenophon, Anabasis 4.8.2
3. οἷος (hoîos) with an infinitive implies fitness or ability in or for a thing
  - 430 BCE – 354 BCE, Xenophon, Anabasis 2.3.13
  - 380 BCE, Plato, Gorgias 487D
  - 384 BCE – 322 BCE, Demosthenes, Against Aristogiton 1 2
  - 386 BCE – 367 BCE, Plato, Cratylus 395A
  - 380 BCE, Plato, The Republic 415E
  - 460 BCE – 395 BCE, Thucydides, History of the Peloponnesian War 6.12
  - 380 BCE, Plato, Euthydemus 272A
  - 445 BCE – 380 BCE, Lysias, Fr. 159S
  - 384 BCE – 322 BCE, Demosthenes, First Philippic 9
  - 4th century BC, Isaeus, Ciron 21
  - 250 CE – 350 CE, Athenaeus, Deipnosophistae 7.345D
  1. but this sense is commonly expressed by οἷος τε (hoîos te)
    - 800 BCE – 600 BCE, Homer, Odyssey 21.117
    - 460 BCE – 420 BCE, Herodotus, Histories 1.29
    - 460 BCE – 420 BCE, Herodotus, Histories 1.67
    - 460 BCE – 420 BCE, Herodotus, Histories 1.91
    - 424 BCE, Aristophanes, The Knights 343
    - 460 BCE – 395 BCE, Thucydides, History of the Peloponnesian War 3.16
    - 436 BCE – 338 BCE, Isocrates, On the Peace 69
    - 200 BCE – 118 BCE, Polybius, The Histories 3.90.5
    - 93 CE – 94 CE, Josephus, Antiquities of the Jews 4.6.3
    - 460 BCE – 395 BCE, Thucydides, History of the Peloponnesian War 1.80
    - 460 BCE – 420 BCE, Herodotus, Histories 1.194
    - 460 BCE – 395 BCE, Thucydides, History of the Peloponnesian War 7.14
  2. (without infinitive)
    - 428 BCE – 347 BCE, Plato, Protagoras 314D
    - 436 BCE – 338 BCE, Isocrates, Evagoras 9
    - 423 BCE, Aristophanes, The Clouds 198
    - 428 BCE – 347 BCE, Plato, Protagoras 349E
    - 386 BCE – 367 BCE, Plato, Parmenides 144B
    - 380 BCE, Plato, Gorgias 449D
    - 380 BCE, Plato, The Republic 387C
    - 341 BCE, Demosthenes, On the Chersonese 75
    - 384 BCE – 322 BCE, Aristotle, Politics 1313A.39
    - 125 CE – 200 CE, Lucian, Images 3
4. the relative is in Attic often repeated in the same clause
  - 497 BCE – 405 BCE, Sophocles, Electra 751
  - 497 BCE – 405 BCE, Sophocles, Women of Trachis 994
  - 497 BCE – 405 BCE, Sophocles, Women of Trachis 1045
  - 438 BCE, Euripides, Alcestis 144
  - 430 BCE – 354 BCE, Xenophon, Cyropaedia 4.5.29
  - 385 BCE – 380 BCE, Plato, Symposium 195A

Declension

First and second declension of οἷος; οἵᾱ; οἷον (Attic)

Number	Singular			Dual			Plural
Case/Gender	Masculine	Feminine	Neuter	Masculine	Feminine	Neuter	Masculine	Feminine	Neuter
Nominative	οἷος hoîos	οἵᾱ hoíā	οἷον hoîon	οἵω hoíō	οἵᾱ hoíā	οἵω hoíō	οἷοι hoîoi	οἷαι hoîai	οἷᾰ hoîă
Genitive	οἵου hoíou	οἵᾱς hoíās	οἵου hoíou	οἵοιν hoíoin	οἵαιν hoíain	οἵοιν hoíoin	οἵων hoíōn	οἵων hoíōn	οἵων hoíōn
Dative	οἵῳ hoíōi	οἵᾳ hoíāi	οἵῳ hoíōi	οἵοιν hoíoin	οἵαιν hoíain	οἵοιν hoíoin	οἵοις hoíois	οἵαις hoíais	οἵοις hoíois
Accusative	οἷον hoîon	οἵᾱν hoíān	οἷον hoîon	οἵω hoíō	οἵᾱ hoíā	οἵω hoíō	οἵους hoíous	οἵᾱς hoíās	οἷᾰ hoîă
Vocative	οἷε hoîe	οἵᾱ hoíā	οἷον hoîon	οἵω hoíō	οἵᾱ hoíā	οἵω hoíō	οἷοι hoîoi	οἷαι hoîai	οἷᾰ hoîă
Derived forms	Adverb			Comparative			Superlative
Derived forms	οἵως / οἷον / οἷᾰ hoíōs / hoîon / hoîă			—			—
Notes:	This table gives Attic inflectional endings. For declension in other dialects, see Appendix:Ancient Greek dialectal declension.

First and second declension of οἷος; οἵη; οἷον (Epic)

Number	Singular			Dual			Plural
Case/Gender	Masculine	Feminine	Neuter	Masculine	Feminine	Neuter	Masculine	Feminine	Neuter
Nominative	οἷος hoîos	οἵη hoíē	οἷον hoîon	οἵω hoíō	οἵᾱ hoíā	οἵω hoíō	οἷοι hoîoi	οἷαι hoîai	οἷᾰ hoîă
Genitive	οἵου / οἵοιο / οἵοο hoíou / hoíoio / hoíoo	οἵης hoíēs	οἵου / οἵοιο / οἵοο hoíou / hoíoio / hoíoo	οἵοιν / οἵοιῐν hoíoi(ĭ)n	οἵαιν / οἵαιῐν / οἵῃῐν hoíai(ĭ)n / hoíēiĭn	οἵοιν / οἵοιῐν hoíoi(ĭ)n	οἵων hoíōn	οἱᾱ́ων / οἱέ͜ων / οἱῶν hoiā́ōn / hoié͜ōn / hoiôn	οἵων hoíōn
Dative	οἵῳ hoíōi	οἵῃ hoíēi	οἵῳ hoíōi	οἵοιν / οἵοιῐν hoíoi(ĭ)n	οἵαιν / οἵαιῐν / οἵῃῐν hoíai(ĭ)n / hoíēiĭn	οἵοιν / οἵοιῐν hoíoi(ĭ)n	οἵοις / οἵοισῐ / οἵοισῐν hoíois / hoíoisĭ(n)	οἵῃσῐ / οἵῃσῐν / οἵῃς / οἵαις hoíēisĭ(n) / hoíēis / hoíais	οἵοις / οἵοισῐ / οἵοισῐν hoíois / hoíoisĭ(n)
Accusative	οἷον hoîon	οἵην hoíēn	οἷον hoîon	οἵω hoíō	οἵᾱ hoíā	οἵω hoíō	οἵους hoíous	οἵᾱς hoíās	οἷᾰ hoîă
Vocative	οἷε hoîe	οἵη hoíē	οἷον hoîon	οἵω hoíō	οἵᾱ hoíā	οἵω hoíō	οἷοι hoîoi	οἷαι hoîai	οἷᾰ hoîă
Derived forms	Adverb			Comparative			Superlative
Derived forms	οἵως / οἷον / οἷᾰ hoíōs / hoîon / hoîă			—			—
Notes:	Dialects other than Attic are not well attested. Some forms may be based on conjecture. Use with caution.

First and second declension of οἷος; οἵη; οἷον (Ionic)

Number	Singular			Dual			Plural
Case/Gender	Masculine	Feminine	Neuter	Masculine	Feminine	Neuter	Masculine	Feminine	Neuter
Nominative	οἷος hoîos	οἵη hoíē	οἷον hoîon	οἵω hoíō	οἵᾱ hoíā	οἵω hoíō	οἷοι hoîoi	οἷαι hoîai	οἷᾰ hoîă
Genitive	οἵου hoíou	οἵης hoíēs	οἵου hoíou	οἵοιν hoíoin	οἵαιν hoíain	οἵοιν hoíoin	οἵων hoíōn	οἱέων / οἱῶν hoiéōn / hoiôn	οἵων hoíōn
Dative	οἵῳ hoíōi	οἵῃ hoíēi	οἵῳ hoíōi	οἵοιν hoíoin	οἵαιν hoíain	οἵοιν hoíoin	οἵοις / οἵοισῐ / οἵοισῐν hoíois / hoíoisĭ(n)	οἵῃσῐ / οἵῃσῐν hoíēisĭ(n)	οἵοις / οἵοισῐ / οἵοισῐν hoíois / hoíoisĭ(n)
Accusative	οἷον hoîon	οἵην hoíēn	οἷον hoîon	οἵω hoíō	οἵᾱ hoíā	οἵω hoíō	οἵους hoíous	οἵᾱς hoíās	οἷᾰ hoîă
Vocative	οἷε hoîe	οἵη hoíē	οἷον hoîon	οἵω hoíō	οἵᾱ hoíā	οἵω hoíō	οἷοι hoîoi	οἷαι hoîai	οἷᾰ hoîă
Derived forms	Adverb			Comparative			Superlative
Derived forms	οἵως / οἷον / οἷᾰ hoíōs / hoîon / hoîă			—			—
Notes:	Dialects other than Attic are not well attested. Some forms may be based on conjecture. Use with caution.

First and second declension of οἷος; οἵᾱ; οἷον (Doric)

Number	Singular			Dual			Plural
Case/Gender	Masculine	Feminine	Neuter	Masculine	Feminine	Neuter	Masculine	Feminine	Neuter
Nominative	οἷος hoîos	οἵᾱ hoíā	οἷον hoîon	οἵω hoíō	οἵᾱ hoíā	οἵω hoíō	οἷοι hoîoi	οἷαι hoîai	οἷᾰ hoîă
Genitive	οἵου hoíou	οἵᾱς hoíās	οἵου hoíou	οἵοιν hoíoin	οἵαιν hoíain	οἵοιν hoíoin	οἵων hoíōn	οἱᾶν hoiân	οἵων hoíōn
Dative	οἵῳ hoíōi	οἵᾳ hoíāi	οἵῳ hoíōi	οἵοιν hoíoin	οἵαιν hoíain	οἵοιν hoíoin	οἵοις hoíois	οἵαις hoíais	οἵοις hoíois
Accusative	οἷον hoîon	οἵᾱν hoíān	οἷον hoîon	οἵω hoíō	οἵᾱ hoíā	οἵω hoíō	οἵους hoíous	οἵᾱς hoíās	οἷᾰ hoîă
Vocative	οἷε hoîe	οἵᾱ hoíā	οἷον hoîon	οἵω hoíō	οἵᾱ hoíā	οἵω hoíō	οἷοι hoîoi	οἷαι hoîai	οἷᾰ hoîă
Derived forms	Adverb			Comparative			Superlative
Derived forms	οἵως / οἷον / οἷᾰ hoíōs / hoîon / hoîă			—			—
Notes:	Dialects other than Attic are not well attested. Some forms may be based on conjecture. Use with caution.

Derived terms

ἄλλοιος (álloios)
ἀνόμοιος (anómoios)
ἑτεροῖος (heteroîos)
οἷον (hoîon, adverb)
οἷός τ’ εἶναι (hoîós t’ eînai)
οἱοσδήποτε (hoiosdḗpote)
οἱοσδηποτοῦν (hoiosdēpotoûn)
οἱοσδήπως (hoiosdḗpōs)
οἱοσδήτις (hoiosdḗtis)
οἱοσδητισοῦν (hoiosdētisoûn)
οἱοσοῦν (hoiosoûn)
οἱόσπερ (hoiósper)
οἱοσποτοῦν (hoiospotoûn)
οἱόστε (hoióste)
οἱοστισοῦν (hoiostisoûn)
ὅμοιος (hómoios)
παντοῖος (pantoîos)
παρόμοιος (parómoios)
προσόμοιος (prosómoios)

References

“οἷος”, in Liddell & Scott (1940), A Greek–English Lexicon, Oxford: Clarendon Press
“οἷος”, in Liddell & Scott (1889), An Intermediate Greek–English Lexicon, New York: Harper & Brothers
“οἷος”, in Autenrieth, Georg (1891), A Homeric Dictionary for Schools and Colleges, New York: Harper and Brothers
οἷος in Bailly, Anatole (1935), Le Grand Bailly: Dictionnaire grec-français, Paris: Hachette
οἷος in Cunliffe, Richard J. (1924), A Lexicon of the Homeric Dialect: Expanded Edition, Norman: University of Oklahoma Press, published 1963
Woodhouse, S. C. (1910), English–Greek Dictionary: A Vocabulary of the Attic Language‎^[1], London: Routledge & Kegan Paul Limited.
- kind idem, page 469.
- sort idem, page 795.
- such idem, page 834.

type	interrogative	indefinite	demonstrative			relative	indefinite relative	identity	other
type	interrogative	indefinite	(medial)	proximal	distal	relative	indefinite relative	identity	other
basic	τίς	τις, ἔνιοι	†ὁ, οὗτος	ὅδε	ἐκεῖνος	ὅς	ὅστις	ὁ αὐτός (αὑτός), ὁμός	ἕτερος, ἄλλος
dual	πότερος	πότερος, ποτερός				ὁπότερος
quality	ποῖος	ποιός	†τοῖος, τοιοῦτος	τοιόσδε		οἷος	ὁποῖος	ὅμοιος	ἑτεροῖος, ἀλλοῖος
quantity	πόσος	ποσός	†τόσος, τοσοῦτος	τοσόσδε		ὅσος	ὁπόσος
manner	πῶς	πως	†τώς, †ὥς, οὕτως	ὧδε		ὡς	ὅπως	ὁμῶς	ἑτέρως, ἄλλως
method, path, place	πῇ	πῃ	τῇ, ταύτῃ	τῇδε	ἐκείνῃ	ᾗ	ὅπῃ		ἄλλῃ
place	ποῦ, †πόθι	που, †ποθι	ἐνταῦθα	ἐνθάδε	ἐκεῖ, ἔνθα, †ἐκεῖθι	οὗ, ἔνθα, †ὅθι	ὅπου, †ὁπόθι	αὐτόθι, ὁμοῦ	ἄλλοθι
source	πόθεν	ποθεν, ἁμόθεν	†τόθεν, ἔνθεν, ἐντεῦθεν	ἐνθένδε	ἐκεῖθεν	ὅθεν	ὁπόθεν	†ὁμόθεν	ἄλλοθεν
destination	ποῖ, †πόσε	ποι	ἔνθα, ἐνταῦθα	ἐνθάδε, δεῦρο	ἐκεῖσε	οἷ	ὅποι, †ὁπόσε	αὐτόσε, ὁμόσε	ἄλλοσε
time	πότε, πῆμος	ποτέ, ποτε, τοτέ, ἐνίοτε	τότε, τῆμος	τημόσδε		ὅτε, ἦμος	ὁπότε, †ὁππῆμος	ἅμα	ἄλλοτε
exact time	πηνίκα		†τηνίκα, τηνικαῦτα	τηνικάδε		ἡνίκα	ὁπηνίκα	αὐτίκα
duration of time			τέως			ἕως
size, age	πηλίκος	πηλίκος	†τηλίκος, τηλικοῦτος	τηλικόσδε		ἡλίκος	ὁπηλίκος	ὁμῆλιξ
repetition	ποσάκις, ποσίνδα	ποσάκις	τουτάκις, τοσάκις			†ὁσάκις ὁποσάκις	ὁποσάκις
multiplication	ποσαπλάσιος					ὁσαπλάσιος, ὁσαπλασίων
order	πόστος	ποστός					ὁπόστος
† Forms rarely or never used in Classical Attic prose Relative also used in exclamations; either relative or indefinite relative used in indirect questions.