πείθω
Lemma: πείθω
Translation: to persuade; to convince; to induce; to prevail upon (verb)
Etymology: From Ancient Greek πείθω (peíthō). This verb has deep Indo-European roots related to trust and confidence. It's connected to English words like 'faith' and 'fidelity' through the Proto-Indo-European root *bʰeydʰ- meaning 'to trust, persuade'. The Greek goddess Peitho was the personification of persuasion and seduction, associated with rhetoric and romantic persuasion.
Example Usage
Προσπάθησε να με πείσει να αλλάξω γνώμη.
He tried to persuade me to change my mind.
Δεν πείθομαι από τα επιχειρήματά σου.
I am not convinced by your arguments.
Προσπάθησα να τον πείσω να έρθει μαζί μας.
I tried to persuade him to come with us.
Με έπεισε να αλλάξω γνώμη.
He convinced me to change my mind.
Mnemonics
- Think of 'persuade' which shares the 'p' sound and similar meaning.
- Connect it to 'faith' (πίστη in Greek) which comes from the same root and involves trust.
Antonyms
Cultural Context
In Greek culture, the art of persuasion (πειθώ) has been valued since ancient times, playing a central role in rhetoric, politics, and philosophy. The concept was so important that it was personified as the goddess Peitho in ancient Greek mythology.
Easily Confused With
Explanation: While πείθω means 'to persuade', πάσχω means 'to suffer' or 'to experience'. They look somewhat similar but have completely different meanings.
Notes: The aorist form of πείθω is έπεισα, which can help distinguish it from forms of πάσχω.
Mnemonic: πείθω has ει (ei) like 'persuade', while πάσχω has α (a) like 'pain'.
Explanation: πείθω (to persuade) might be confused with παίζω (to play) due to similar initial sounds, but they have entirely different meanings and contexts.
Notes: The stress falls on different syllables: ΠΕΙθω vs παΙζω.
Mnemonic: παίζω has αι (ai) like in 'play', while πείθω has ει (ei) like in 'persuade'.