κατανικώ
Lemma: κατανικώ
Translation: to overcome; to defeat; to conquer; to prevail over (verb)
Etymology: From Ancient Greek κατανικάω (katanikáō), from κατά (katá, 'down, against') + νικάω (nikáō, 'to conquer, prevail'). Related to English 'Nike' (victory)
Mnemonics
- Think of 'kata' (down) + 'Nike' (victory) = bringing down victory upon something
- Remember the sports brand Nike - this verb is about achieving victory
Related Words, Phrases & Idioms
Antonyms
Example Wordforms
Cultural Context
Often used in contexts of overcoming obstacles or difficulties, both literal and metaphorical
Easily Confused With
Explanation: While κατανικώ means 'to overcome', καταλαβαίνω means 'to understand'
Confused word:
Καταλαβαίνω τι εννοείς.
I understand what you mean.
Notes: Both start with 'κατα-' but have very different meanings
Mnemonic: κατανικώ has 'νικ' (victory) in it, while καταλαβαίνω has 'λαβ' (take/grasp)