βασιλιά
Wordform Details
Translation: king
Part of Speech: noun
Inflection Type:
masculinesingularaccusativeIs Dictionary Form: No
Dictionary Form Details
Lemma: βασιλιάς
Translation: king; monarch; sovereign (noun)
Etymology: From Medieval Greek βασιλέας, from Ancient Greek βασιλεύς (basileus). The term originally meant 'chieftain' or 'tribal leader' before evolving to mean 'king'. The root may be related to Proto-Indo-European *gʷaś- ('to order, command'). The word basilica derives from this root, as it originally referred to a royal tribunal or court.
Mnemonics
- Think of 'basilica' - a church fit for a king
- Basil + -ias = royal herb + ending = king
Related Words, Phrases & Idioms
Antonyms
Example Wordforms
Cultural Context
Historically significant in Greek culture, from ancient monarchies to modern cultural references. The Greek monarchy was abolished in 1974, but the word remains common in everyday language, idioms, and fairy tales.
Easily Confused With
Explanation: βασιλιάς means 'king' while βασιλικός means 'royal' or 'basil (herb)'
This word:
Ο βασιλιάς της Αγγλίας
The King of England
Confused word:
Ο βασιλικός κήπος
The royal garden
Notes: βασιλικός can also refer to the herb basil, creating potential additional confusion
Mnemonic: βασιλιάς ends in -ας (like most masculine nouns) while βασιλικός is an adjective