διαφέρω

Ancient Greek

Etymology

From δια- (dia-, “through, between”) +‎ φέρω (phérō, “to bring, carry”).

Pronunciation

 

• IPA^(key): /di.a.pʰé.rɔː/ → /ði.aˈɸe.ro/ → /ði.aˈfe.ro/

• (5^th BCE Attic) IPA^(key): /di.a.pʰé.rɔː/
• (1^st CE Egyptian) IPA^(key): /di.aˈpʰe.ro/
• (4^th CE Koine) IPA^(key): /ði.aˈɸe.ro/
• (10^th CE Byzantine) IPA^(key): /ði.aˈfe.ro/
• (15^th CE Constantinopolitan) IPA^(key): /ði.aˈfe.ro/

Verb

διαφέρω • (diaphérō)

1. to carry over or across, to carry from one to another
   • 460 BCE – 395 BCE, Thucydides, History of the Peloponnesian War 8.8
   • 423 BCE, Euripides, The Suppliants 382
   • 384 BCE – 322 BCE, Aristotle, On Marvellous Things Heard 836B.6
   • 497 BCE – 405 BCE, Sophocles, Women of Trachis 323
   1. (of time) to go through, live, continue
      • 460 BCE – 420 BCE, Herodotus, Histories 3.40
      • 412 BCE, Euripides, Helen 10
      • c. 440 BCE, Euripides, Rhesus 600
      • c. 440 BCE, Euripides, Rhesus 982
      • 460 BCE – 370 BCE, Hippocrates of Kos, On Joints 56
      • 497 BCE – 405 BCE, Sophocles, Ajax 511
      • 430 BCE – 354 BCE, Xenophon, Memorabilia 2.1.24
   2. to bear through, bear to the end
      • 407 BCE, Euripides, Iphigenia in Aulis 1195
      • 413 BCE, Euripides, Ion 15
      • 430 BCE – 354 BCE, Xenophon, Memorabilia 2.2.5
   3. to bear to the end, go through with
      • 460 BCE – 420 BCE, Herodotus, Histories 1.25
      • 460 BCE – 395 BCE, Thucydides, History of the Peloponnesian War 1.11
      • 460 BCE – 395 BCE, Thucydides, History of the Peloponnesian War 6.54
      • 429 BCE, Sophocles, Oedipus the King 321
      • 428 BCE, Euripides, Hippolytus 1143
      • 460 BCE – 370 BCE, Hippocrates of Kos, On Internal Affections 40
2. to carry different ways, to toss about
   • 425 BCE, Aristophanes, Lysistrata 570
   • 430 BCE – 354 BCE, Xenophon, Oeconomicus 9.8
   • 423 BCE, Euripides, The Suppliants 715
   • 405 BCE, Euripides, The Bacchae 1087
   • 408 BCE, Euripides, Orestes 1261
   • 360 BCE, Plato, The Sophist 242E
   • 64 BCE – 24 CE, Strabo, Geography 3.2.5
   • New Testament, Acts of the Apostles 27:27
   • 46 CE – 120 CE, Plutarch, Galba 26
   1. to spread
      • 522 BCE – 443 BCE, Pindar, Pythian Ode 11.60
      • 384 BCE – 322 BCE, Demosthenes, Erotic Essay 46
      • 46 CE – 120 CE, Plutarch, Moralia 2.163C
   2. to tear asunder
      • 405 BCE, Euripides, The Bacchae 754
      • 384 BCE – 322 BCE, Aristotle, Poetics 1451A.34
      • 46 CE – 120 CE, Plutarch, Moralia 2.133D
      • 40 CE – 115 CE, Dio Chrysostom, Collected Works 43.46
   3. to give
      • 460 BCE – 420 BCE, Herodotus, Histories 4.138
      • 408 BCE, Euripides, Orestes 49
      • 460 BCE – 395 BCE, Thucydides, History of the Peloponnesian War 4.74
      • 430 BCE – 354 BCE, Xenophon, Symposium 5.8
   4. (ἐράνους διαφέρω = διαλύσομα) to pay them up
      • 396 BCE – 323 BCE, Lycurgus of Athens, Collected Works 22
3. (intransitive) to differ
   • 522 BCE – 443 BCE, Pindar, Nemean Ode 7.54
   • 424 BCE, Euripides, Hecuba 599
   • 408 BCE, Euripides, Orestes 251
   • 460 BCE – 395 BCE, Thucydides, History of the Peloponnesian War 5.86
   • 423 BCE, Aristophanes, The Clouds 503
   • 428 BCE – 347 BCE, Plato, Protagoras 329D
   • 361 BCE, Demosthenes, Against Midias 147
   • 430 BCE – 354 BCE, Xenophon, Hiero 1.2.7
   • 95 CE – 165 CE, Appian, Mithridatic Wars 1
   • 384 BCE – 322 BCE, Aristotle, History of Animals 486A.22
   • 384 BCE – 322 BCE, Aristotle, Meteorology 341B.24
   • 384 BCE – 322 BCE, Aristotle, History of Animals 505A.21
   • 350 BCE, Aristotle, Parts of Animals 684B.3
   • 125 CE – 200 CE, Lucian, Alexander the False Prophet 15
   • 384 BCE – 322 BCE, Demosthenes, Against Aristocrates 167
   • 430 BCE – 354 BCE, Xenophon, Oeconomicus 20.17
   1. (impersonal) it makes a difference
      • 460 BCE – 370 BCE, Hippocrates of Kos, Aphorisms 5.22
      • 415 BCE, Euripides, The Trojan Women 1248
      • 428 BCE – 347 BCE, Plato, Phaedo 89C
      • 380 BCE, Plato, The Republic 467C
      • 480 BCE – 411 BCE, Antiphon of Rhamnus, On the Murder of Herodes 13
      • 428 BCE – 347 BCE, Plato, Protagoras 316B
      • 460 BCE – 395 BCE, Thucydides, History of the Peloponnesian War 3.42
      • 428 BCE – 347 BCE, Plato, Laches 187D
      • 380 BCE, Plato, The Republic 349A
      • 380 BCE, Plato, Gorgias 497B
      • 460 BCE – 420 BCE, Herodotus, Histories 1.85
      • 46 CE – 120 CE, Plutarch, Julius Caesar 65
      • 129 CE – 216 CE, Galen, Collected Works 15.420–428
      • 129 CE – 216 CE, Galen, Of the Uses of the Different Parts of the Human Body 9.5
   2. (substantive) the difference, the odds
      • 428 BCE – 347 BCE, Plato, Philebus 45D
      • 408 BCE – 334 BCE, Antiphanes Comicus, Collected Works 31
      • 460 BCE – 395 BCE, Thucydides, History of the Peloponnesian War 6.92
      • 445 BCE – 380 BCE, Lysias, Against Philon 5
      • 4th century BC, Isaeus, Nicostratus 12
      • New Testament, Epistle to the Romans 2:18
      • 440 BCE – 390 BCE, Andocides, On the Peace 19
      • 460 BCE – 395 BCE, Thucydides, History of the Peloponnesian War 1.70
   3. to be different from a man, generally in point of excess, to surpass
      • 460 BCE – 395 BCE, Thucydides, History of the Peloponnesian War 11.8
      • 460 BCE – 395 BCE, Thucydides, History of the Peloponnesian War 3.39
      • 400 BCE – 387 BCE, Plato, Apology 35B
      • 430 BCE – 354 BCE, Xenophon, Constitution of Sparta 1.10
      • 389 BCE – 314 BCE, Aeschines, Against Timarchus 181
      • 380 BCE, Plato, Gorgias 517B
      • 430 BCE – 354 BCE, Xenophon, Anabasis 3.4.33
      • 430 BCE – 354 BCE, Xenophon, Memorabilia 3.11.14
      • 430 BCE – 354 BCE, Xenophon, Ways and Means 4.25
      • 200 BCE – 118 BCE, Polybius, The Histories 10.27.5
      • 436 BCE – 338 BCE, Isocrates, Helen 12
      • 331 CE – 363 CE, Julian, Orations 2.53C
      • 371 BCE – 287 BCE, Theophrastus, On the Causes of Plants 5.14.9
      • 200 BCE – 118 BCE, Polybius, The Histories 6.39.2
   4. to prevail
      • 460 BCE – 395 BCE, Thucydides, History of the Peloponnesian War 3.83
   5. to quarrel, struggle
      • 5th century BC, Telecleides, Hesiodoi 7
   6. to come between, intervene
      • 480 BCE – 411 BCE, Antiphon of Rhamnus, On the Murder of Herodes 94
   7. to belong to
      • 280 BCE – 220 BCE, Philo of Byzantium, Compendium of Mechanics 1.207
4. (passive voice) to differ, be at variance, quarrel
   • 460 BCE – 420 BCE, Herodotus, Histories 1.173
   • 399 BCE, Plato, Euthyphro 7B
   • 480 BCE – 411 BCE, Antiphon of Rhamnus, On the Murder of Herodes 42
   • 460 BCE – 395 BCE, Thucydides, History of the Peloponnesian War 5.31
   • 430 BCE – 354 BCE, Xenophon, Oeconomicus 17.4
   • 445 BCE – 380 BCE, Lysias, On the Confiscation of the Property of the Brother of Nicias 17
   • 430 BCE – 354 BCE, Xenophon, Anabasis 4.5.17
   • 460 BCE – 420 BCE, Herodotus, Histories 7.220
   • 384 BCE – 322 BCE, Demosthenes, Against Dionysodorus 46
   • 341 BCE, Demosthenes, Third Philippic 8
   • 445 BCE – 380 BCE, Lysias, Against Theomnestus 1 17

Inflection

   Present: δῐᾰφέρω, δῐᾰφέρομαι

number		singular			dual		plural
		first	second	third	second	third	first	second	third
active	indicative	δῐᾰφέρω	δῐᾰφέρεις	δῐᾰφέρει	δῐᾰφέρετον	δῐᾰφέρετον	δῐᾰφέρομεν	δῐᾰφέρετε	δῐᾰφέρουσῐ(ν)
	subjunctive	δῐᾰφέρω	δῐᾰφέρῃς	δῐᾰφέρῃ	δῐᾰφέρητον	δῐᾰφέρητον	δῐᾰφέρωμεν	δῐᾰφέρητε	δῐᾰφέρωσῐ(ν)
	optative	δῐᾰφέροιμῐ	δῐᾰφέροις	δῐᾰφέροι	δῐᾰφέροιτον	δῐᾰφεροίτην	δῐᾰφέροιμεν	δῐᾰφέροιτε	δῐᾰφέροιεν
	imperative		δῐᾰ́φερε	δῐᾰφερέτω	δῐᾰφέρετον	δῐᾰφερέτων		δῐᾰφέρετε	δῐᾰφερόντων
middle/ passive	indicative	δῐᾰφέρομαι	δῐᾰφέρῃ / δῐᾰφέρει	δῐᾰφέρεται	δῐᾰφέρεσθον	δῐᾰφέρεσθον	δῐᾰφερόμεθᾰ	δῐᾰφέρεσθε	δῐᾰφέρονται
	subjunctive	δῐᾰφέρωμαι	δῐᾰφέρῃ	δῐᾰφέρηται	δῐᾰφέρησθον	δῐᾰφέρησθον	δῐᾰφερώμεθᾰ	δῐᾰφέρησθε	δῐᾰφέρωνται
	optative	δῐᾰφεροίμην	δῐᾰφέροιο	δῐᾰφέροιτο	δῐᾰφέροισθον	δῐᾰφεροίσθην	δῐᾰφεροίμεθᾰ	δῐᾰφέροισθε	δῐᾰφέροιντο
	imperative		δῐᾰφέρου	δῐᾰφερέσθω	δῐᾰφέρεσθον	δῐᾰφερέσθων		δῐᾰφέρεσθε	δῐᾰφερέσθων
		active				middle/passive
infinitive		δῐᾰφέρειν				δῐᾰφέρεσθαι
participle	m	δῐᾰφέρων				δῐᾰφερόμενος
	f	δῐᾰφέρουσᾰ				δῐᾰφερομένη
	n	δῐᾰφέρον				δῐᾰφερόμενον
Notes:	This table gives Attic inflectional endings. For conjugation in dialects other than Attic, see Appendix:Ancient Greek dialectal conjugation.

   Imperfect: δῐέφερον, δῐεφερόμην

number		singular			dual		plural
		first	second	third	second	third	first	second	third
active	indicative	δῐέφερον	δῐέφερες	δῐέφερε(ν)	δῐεφέρετον	δῐεφερέτην	δῐεφέρομεν	δῐεφέρετε	δῐέφερον
middle/ passive	indicative	δῐεφερόμην	δῐεφέρου	δῐεφέρετο	δῐεφέρεσθον	δῐεφερέσθην	δῐεφερόμεθᾰ	δῐεφέρεσθε	δῐεφέροντο
Notes:	This table gives Attic inflectional endings. For conjugation in dialects other than Attic, see Appendix:Ancient Greek dialectal conjugation.

   Future: δῐοίσω, δῐοίσομαι

number		singular			dual		plural
		first	second	third	second	third	first	second	third
active	indicative	δῐοίσω	δῐοίσεις	δῐοίσει	δῐοίσετον	δῐοίσετον	δῐοίσομεν	δῐοίσετε	δῐοίσουσῐ(ν)
	optative	δῐοίσοιμῐ	δῐοίσοις	δῐοίσοι	δῐοίσοιτον	δῐοισοίτην	δῐοίσοιμεν	δῐοίσοιτε	δῐοίσοιεν
middle	indicative	δῐοίσομαι	δῐοίσῃ / δῐοίσει	δῐοίσεται	δῐοίσεσθον	δῐοίσεσθον	δῐοισόμεθᾰ	δῐοίσεσθε	δῐοίσονται
	optative	δῐοισοίμην	δῐοίσοιο	δῐοίσοιτο	δῐοίσοισθον	δῐοισοίσθην	δῐοισοίμεθᾰ	δῐοίσοισθε	δῐοίσοιντο
		active			middle
infinitive		δῐοίσειν			δῐοίσεσθαι
participle	m	δῐοίσων			δῐοισόμενος
	f	δῐοίσουσᾰ			δῐοισομένη
	n	δῐοῖσον			δῐοισόμενον
Notes:	This table gives Attic inflectional endings. For conjugation in dialects other than Attic, see Appendix:Ancient Greek dialectal conjugation.

   Aorist: δῐήνεγκᾰ, δῐηνεγκᾰ́μην, δῐηνέχθην

number		singular			dual		plural
		first	second	third	second	third	first	second	third
active	indicative	δῐήνεγκᾰ	δῐήνεγκᾰς	δῐήνεγκε(ν)	δῐηνέγκᾰτον	δῐηνεγκᾰ́την	δῐηνέγκᾰμεν	δῐηνέγκᾰτε	δῐήνεγκᾰν
	subjunctive	δῐενέγκω	δῐενέγκῃς	δῐενέγκῃ	δῐενέγκητον	δῐενέγκητον	δῐενέγκωμεν	δῐενέγκητε	δῐενέγκωσῐ(ν)
	optative	δῐενέγκαιμῐ	δῐενέγκειᾰς / δῐενέγκαις	δῐενέγκειε(ν) / δῐενέγκαι	δῐενέγκαιτον	δῐενεγκαίτην	δῐενέγκαιμεν	δῐενέγκαιτε	δῐενέγκειᾰν / δῐενέγκαιεν
	imperative		δῐένεγκον	δῐενεγκᾰ́τω	δῐενέγκᾰτον	δῐενεγκᾰ́των		δῐενέγκᾰτε	δῐενεγκᾰ́ντων
middle	indicative	δῐηνεγκᾰ́μην	δῐηνέγκω	δῐηνέγκᾰτο	δῐηνέγκᾰσθον	δῐηνεγκᾰ́σθην	δῐηνεγκᾰ́μεθᾰ	δῐηνέγκᾰσθε	δῐηνέγκᾰντο
	subjunctive	δῐενέγκωμαι	δῐενέγκῃ	δῐενέγκηται	δῐενέγκησθον	δῐενέγκησθον	δῐενεγκώμεθᾰ	δῐενέγκησθε	δῐενέγκωνται
	optative	δῐενεγκαίμην	δῐενέγκαιο	δῐενέγκαιτο	δῐενέγκαισθον	δῐενεγκαίσθην	δῐενεγκαίμεθᾰ	δῐενέγκαισθε	δῐενέγκαιντο
	imperative		δῐένεγκαι	δῐενεγκᾰ́σθω	δῐενέγκᾰσθον	δῐενεγκᾰ́σθων		δῐενέγκᾰσθε	δῐενεγκᾰ́σθων
passive	indicative	δῐηνέχθην	δῐηνέχθης	δῐηνέχθη	δῐηνέχθητον	δῐηνεχθήτην	δῐηνέχθημεν	δῐηνέχθητε	δῐηνέχθησᾰν
	subjunctive	δῐενεχθῶ	δῐενεχθῇς	δῐενεχθῇ	δῐενεχθῆτον	δῐενεχθῆτον	δῐενεχθῶμεν	δῐενεχθῆτε	δῐενεχθῶσῐ(ν)
	optative	δῐενεχθείην	δῐενεχθείης	δῐενεχθείη	δῐενεχθεῖτον / δῐενεχθείητον	δῐενεχθείτην / δῐενεχθειήτην	δῐενεχθεῖμεν / δῐενεχθείημεν	δῐενεχθεῖτε / δῐενεχθείητε	δῐενεχθεῖεν / δῐενεχθείησᾰν
	imperative		δῐενέχθητῐ	δῐενεχθήτω	δῐενέχθητον	δῐενεχθήτων		δῐενέχθητε	δῐενεχθέντων
		active			middle		passive
infinitive		δῐενέγκαι			δῐενέγκᾰσθαι		δῐενεχθῆναι
participle	m	δῐενέγκᾱς			δῐενεγκᾰ́μενος		δῐενεχθείς
	f	δῐενέγκᾱσᾰ			δῐενεγκᾰμένη		δῐενεχθεῖσᾰ
	n	δῐενέγκᾰν			δῐενεγκᾰ́μενον		δῐενεχθέν
Notes:	This table gives Attic inflectional endings. For conjugation in dialects other than Attic, see Appendix:Ancient Greek dialectal conjugation.

   Aorist: δῐήνεγκον, δῐηνεγκόμην

number		singular			dual		plural
		first	second	third	second	third	first	second	third
active	indicative	δῐήνεγκον	δῐήνεγκες	δῐήνεγκε(ν)	δῐηνέγκετον	δῐηνεγκέτην	δῐηνέγκομεν	δῐηνέγκετε	δῐήνεγκον
	subjunctive	δῐενέγκω	δῐενέγκῃς	δῐενέγκῃ	δῐενέγκητον	δῐενέγκητον	δῐενέγκωμεν	δῐενέγκητε	δῐενέγκωσῐ(ν)
	optative	δῐενέγκοιμῐ	δῐενέγκοις	δῐενέγκοι	δῐενέγκοιτον	δῐενεγκοίτην	δῐενέγκοιμεν	δῐενέγκοιτε	δῐενέγκοιεν
	imperative		δῐένεγκε	δῐενεγκέτω	δῐενέγκετον	δῐενεγκέτων		δῐενέγκετε	δῐενεγκόντων
middle	indicative	δῐηνεγκόμην	δῐηνέγκου	δῐηνέγκετο	δῐηνέγκεσθον	δῐηνεγκέσθην	δῐηνεγκόμεθᾰ	δῐηνέγκεσθε	δῐηνέγκοντο
	subjunctive	δῐενέγκωμαι	δῐενέγκῃ	δῐενέγκηται	δῐενέγκησθον	δῐενέγκησθον	δῐενεγκώμεθᾰ	δῐενέγκησθε	δῐενέγκωνται
	optative	δῐενεγκοίμην	δῐενέγκοιο	δῐενέγκοιτο	δῐενέγκοισθον	δῐενεγκοίσθην	δῐενεγκοίμεθᾰ	δῐενέγκοισθε	δῐενέγκοιντο
	imperative		δῐενεγκοῦ	δῐενεγκέσθω	δῐενέγκεσθον	δῐενεγκέσθων		δῐενέγκεσθε	δῐενεγκέσθων
		active			middle
infinitive		δῐενεγκεῖν			δῐενεγκέσθαι
participle	m	δῐενεγκών			δῐενεγκόμενος
	f	δῐενεγκοῦσᾰ			δῐενεγκομένη
	n	δῐενεγκόν			δῐενεγκόμενον
Notes:	This table gives Attic inflectional endings. For conjugation in dialects other than Attic, see Appendix:Ancient Greek dialectal conjugation.

Further reading

• “διαφέρω”, in Liddell & Scott (1940), A Greek–English Lexicon, Oxford: Clarendon Press
• “διαφέρω”, in Liddell & Scott (1889), An Intermediate Greek–English Lexicon, New York: Harper & Brothers
• διαφέρω in Bailly, Anatole (1935), Le Grand Bailly: Dictionnaire grec-français, Paris: Hachette
• διαφέρω in the Diccionario Griego–Español en línea (2006–2025)
• “διαφέρω”, in Slater, William J. (1969), Lexicon to Pindar, Berlin: Walter de Gruyter
• G1308 in Strong, James (1979), Strong’s Exhaustive Concordance to the Bible

Greek

Etymology

From Ancient Greek διαφέρω (diaphérō, “to differ”), from δια- (dia-) + φέρω (phérō).

Verb

διαφέρω • (diaféro) (past διέφερα)

1. to differ, be different, vary

Conjugation

This verb needs an inflection-table template.

Derived terms

• ενδιαφέρω (endiaféro, “to interest”)

Related terms

• διαφορά f (diaforá, “difference, dispute”)
• διαφορετικός (diaforetikós, “different”)