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γενναῖος

gennaios

true to oneʼs birth

Appears 99 times across Plato's dialogues.

Frequency by work

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Dictionary (LSJ)

γενναῖος, α, ον, also ος, ον E. Hec. 592: (γέννα):—A. true to oneʼs birth or descent (εὐγενὲς μέν ἐστι τὸ ἐξ ἀγαθοῦ γένους, γενναῖον δὲ τὸ μὴ ἐξιστάμενον ἐκ τῆς αὑτοῦ φύσεως Arist. HA 488b19, cf. Rh. 1390b22), οὔ μοι γενναῖον ἀλυσκάζοντι μάχεσθαι Il. 5.253 (nowhere else in Hom.); γενναῖον δέ σοι ταχέως ὑπακούειν Ar. Fr. 28 D.: hence, I. of persons, high-born, noble, Archil. 107, etc.; τέκνα Hdt. 1.173; ὦ γονῇ γενναῖε S. OT 1469; ἐσθλοὺς ἔκ τε γενναίων γεγῶτας Id. Fr. 107.3; γενναῖός τις ἑπτὰ πάππους ἔχων ἀποφῆναι Pl. Tht. 174e; οἱ γ., opp. οἱ ἀγεννεῖς, Arist. Pol. 1296b22; so of animals, well-bred, σκύλαξ Pl. R. 375a, X. Cyr. 1.4.15; opp. ἀγεννής, Arist. HA 558b16. 2. noble in mind, high-minded, Hdt. 3.140 (Sup.), S. El. 129 (lyr.), etc.; τὸ γ., = γενναιότης, Id. OC 569; of actions, noble, Hdt. 1.37; λῆμα γ. Pi. P. 8.44; τλάσας τὸ γ. S. OC 1640, cf. E. Alc. 624; γ. ἔπος, λόγοι, πόνοι, S. Ph. 1402, E. Heracl. 537, HF 357 (lyr.). 3. as a form of polite speech, γενναῖος εἶ you are very good, Ar. Th. 220. b. ὦ γενναῖε, common form of address in Pl., as Grg. 494e, cf. S. Ph. 801; ironical, D.H. 7.46. II. of things, good of their kind, excellent, μέλος A. Fr. 281.5; σταφυλή, σῦκα, Pl. Lg. 844e; γενναίου . . ἄξιον οὐθενός of no great use, Ath.Mech. 31.2; ironical, γένει γ. σοφιστική Pl. Sph. 231b (cf. 1.1), etc.; genuine, intense, δύη S. Aj. 938, etc.; violent, σεισμός Philostr. VA 6.38; θάλπη Jul. Or. 2.101d. b. γενναῖον· τὸ τῆς γενέσεως ἀρχηγόν, Hsch. III. Adv. -αίως nobly, Hdt. 7.139, Th. 2.41, Pl. La. 196b, Men. 672; ὅρκος, πῆγμα γ. παγέν A. Ag. 1198; ironical, μάλα γ. ἐπιλαθόμενον ὧν εὖ πάθοι Jul. Or. 3.125c: Comp. -οτέρως Pl. Tht. 166c, Ps.-Callisth. 1.38: Sup. -ότατα E. Cyc. 657 (lyr.). 2. irreg. Sup. γενναιέστατος Dinol. 10.
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