ενοχλώ
Lemma: ενοχλώ
Translation: to bother; to annoy; to disturb; to trouble (verb)
Etymology: From Ancient Greek ἐνοχλέω (enochléō), from ἐν (en, 'in') + ὄχλος (óchlos, 'crowd, mob, disturbance'). The original sense conveyed the idea of creating a disturbance within something, like a crowd causing trouble. The connection to 'crowd' (óchlos) helps explain why the word carries a sense of irritation - like being bothered by a pressing crowd.
Mnemonics
- Think of an 'annoying OCHLos (crowd)' to remember the root meaning
- EN-ochlo sounds like 'in-awkward' - when you bother someone, you put them in an awkward position
Related Words, Phrases & Idioms
Antonyms
Example Wordforms
Cultural Context
Commonly used in polite requests and apologies, as in 'Με συγχωρείτε που σας ενοχλώ' (Excuse me for bothering you). Greeks tend to use this verb frequently in social situations to show consideration for others.
Easily Confused With
Explanation: While ενοχλώ means 'to bother', ενοχή means 'guilt'. They look similar but have very different meanings.
This word:
Μη με ενοχλείς τώρα.
Don't bother me now.
Confused word:
Νιώθω ενοχή για ό,τι έκανα.
I feel guilt for what I did.
Notes: Despite similar spelling, these words have different etymological roots
Mnemonic: ενοχλώ ends in -ω (like most verbs) and means 'to bother'; ενοχή ends in -η and refers to the feeling of guilt