νικώ
Lemma: νικώ
Translation: to win; to defeat; to conquer; to overcome; to prevail; to triumph (verb)
Etymology: From Ancient Greek νικάω (nikáō), meaning 'to conquer, prevail'. This root gave English words like 'Nike' (the goddess of victory and the sports brand named after her) and appears in terms like 'Nicodemus' (meaning 'victory of the people'). The concept of victory (νίκη/níki) was highly valued in ancient Greek culture, particularly in athletic competitions and warfare.
Example Usage
Η ομάδα μας νίκησε στον τελικό.
Our team won in the final.
Νίκησε το φόβο του.
He overcame his fear.
Η ομάδα μας νίκησε στον αγώνα χθες.
Our team won the match yesterday.
Πρέπει να νικήσουμε τους φόβους μας.
We must overcome our fears.
Νίκησε τον καρκίνο μετά από πολλά χρόνια θεραπείας.
She defeated cancer after many years of treatment.
Το καλό πάντα νικά το κακό.
Good always defeats evil.
Mnemonics
- Think of the Nike brand logo - it represents victory and winning, just like the verb νικώ.
- The 'nik' sound is similar to 'nick' in English, as in 'to nick a victory' (to narrowly win).
Related Words, Phrases & Idioms
Cultural Context
The concept of victory (νίκη) has deep cultural significance in Greek history, from ancient Olympic competitions to military achievements. The word carries strong positive connotations and is frequently used in sports, politics, and everyday challenges. The sports brand Nike takes its name from the Greek goddess of victory.
Easily Confused With
Explanation: While νικώ means 'to win/defeat', μιμούμαι means 'to imitate/mimic'. They might be confused by English speakers due to some phonetic similarity.
Notes: νικώ is about achieving victory, while μιμούμαι is about copying or imitating something.
Mnemonic: νικώ has the 'nik' sound like Nike (victory), while μιμούμαι sounds like 'mimic'.
Explanation: κινώ means 'to move' and can look similar to νικώ when written, differing only in the order of the first two letters.
Confused word:
Κινεί το χέρι του αργά.
He moves his hand slowly.
Notes: These words have completely different meanings but can be visually confused due to similar spelling.
Mnemonic: νικώ starts with 'ν' for 'Nike' (victory), while κινώ starts with 'κ' for 'kinetic' (movement).