πουλί
Wordform Details
Translation: bird
Part of Speech: noun
Inflection Type:
neutersingularnominativeIs Dictionary Form: No
Dictionary Form Details
Lemma: πουλί
Translation: bird (noun)
Etymology: Derived from Ancient Greek πουλλίον (poullion), diminutive of πῶλος (pōlos), meaning 'young animal'. The semantic shift from 'young animal' to specifically 'bird' occurred during Medieval Greek. The diminutive form eventually became the standard word for 'bird', replacing the Ancient Greek ὄρνις (ornis).
Mnemonics
- Think of 'pulley' - birds pull themselves up into the air
- Sounds like 'pool-EE' - imagine birds pooling together in a tree
Related Words, Phrases & Idioms
Cultural Context
Frequently used in Greek folk songs and poetry. Also commonly appears in children's stories and nursery rhymes. Can be used as a term of endearment.
Easily Confused With
Explanation: πούλι means 'game piece' or 'counter', while πουλί means 'bird'
This word:
Το πουλί πέταξε μακριά.
The bird flew away.
Confused word:
Μετακίνησε το πούλι στο παιχνίδι.
Move the game piece.
Notes: The accent placement is different: πούλι vs πουλί
Mnemonic: πούλι (game piece) is shorter than πουλί (bird)