ν

ν, νῦ, τό, indecl., fourteenth (later thirteenth) letter of Greek alphabet; as numeral, νʹ = 50, but ͵ν = 50,000.

ν : νῦ ἐφελκυστικόν, or nu euphonic, affixed to the pl. case - ending -σι, to εἴκοσι, -φι, νόσφι, κέ, and to forms of the verb ending in -ε and -ι of the 3d person.

ν

• • IΝ, ν, νῦ, τό, indecl., thirteenth letter of Greek alphabet; as numeral, νʹ = 50, but ͵ν = 50,000. ν is the dental or palatal liquid, corresponding with the mute δ. Dialectic changes,
  • • 1Doric, ν represents λ, v. Λ λ. 2.
    • 2Attic and Doric for μ, v. Μ μ. II. 2.
  • IIEuphonic changes:
  • • 1into γ before the palatals γ κ χ, and before ξ, as ἔγγονος ἔγκαιρος ἐγχώριος ἐγξέω etc.
    • 2into μ before the labials β π φ, and before ψ, as σύμβιος συμπότης συμφυής ἔμψυχος; likewise before μ. as ἐμμανής.
    • 3into λ, before λ, as ἐλλείπω συλλαμβάνω.
    • 4into ρ before ρ, as συρράπτω· in compds. of ἐν ν sometimes remains, as ἔνρυθμος.
    • 5into ς before ς, as σύσσιτος πάσσοφος.
  • IIIthe so-called νῦ ἐφελκυστικόν is found with dat. pl. in σι, as ἀνδράσιν; 3rd pl. of verbs in σι, as εἰλήφασιν; 3rd sg.in -ε, -ι, as ἔκτανεν δείκνυσιν: the local termin. -σι, as Ἀθήνῃσι Ὀλυμπίασι; the Epic. termin. φι, as ὀστεόφιν; the numeral εἴκοσι; the Advs. νόσφι, πέρυσι; the enclit. Particles κέ and νύ. This ν was mostly used to avoid a hiatus where a vowel follows.