Where does “οὐ” come from?
οὐ (Ancient Greek) comes from Ancient Greek οὐκί, from Proto-Hellenic oyuki, from Proto-Indo-European (ne) h₂óyu kʷid — ever, on your life; not ever, not on your life.
οὐ (Ancient Greek): not
Definitions
- not
Ancestry of “οὐ”, step by step
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Ancient Greek | οὐκί | Epic form of οὐ |
| 2 | Proto-Hellenic | oyuki | — |
| 3 | Proto-Indo-European | (ne) h₂óyu kʷid | ever, on your life; not ever, not on your life |