μακρινός
Lemma: μακρινός
Translation: distant; far; remote; faraway; long-distance (adjective)
Etymology: From Ancient Greek μακρός (makrós) meaning 'long, large, tall' with the suffix -ινός which forms adjectives. The root μακρ- is from Proto-Indo-European *meh₂ḱ- ('long, thin'). This same root gives us English words like 'macro' (large-scale), 'macron' (long mark over vowels), and is distantly related to 'meager' (thin, scanty).
Example Usage
Mnemonics
- Think of 'macro' (large) + 'nos' to remember μακρινός means 'distant' - something that's a large distance away.
- The 'μακρ-' sound resembles 'macro' in English, which deals with large scales or distances.
Related Words, Phrases & Idioms
Synonyms
Antonyms
Example Wordforms
Cultural Context
In Greek culture, the concept of distance can be significant in various contexts, from family relationships (μακρινοί συγγενείς - distant relatives) to geographical references. Greece's many islands and mountainous terrain make distance a relevant concept in everyday life.
Easily Confused With
Explanation: While μακρινός means 'distant' or 'far away', μακρύς means 'long' (in physical length or duration). They share the same root but have different applications.
Confused word:
Έχει μακρύ μαλλί.
She has long hair.
Notes: Both words come from the same ancient Greek root μακρός, but have evolved to cover different aspects of measurement - μακρινός for distance and μακρύς for length.
Mnemonic: μακρινός ends with -νός (think 'nos' for 'distance') while μακρύς ends with -ύς (think 'use' for 'length you use').
Explanation: μακρινός (distant) sounds somewhat similar to μικρός (small) but they have opposite meanings in terms of scale.
Confused word:
Είναι ένα μικρό παιδί.
He is a small child.
Notes: The vowel difference ('a' vs 'i') is crucial for distinguishing these words with nearly opposite meanings.
Mnemonic: μακρινός has 'μακρ-' (like 'macro' = big/long) while μικρός has 'μικρ-' (like 'micro' = small).