Learn Greek › B2 › άσυλο
άσυλο
asylum (refuge granted to someone fleeing danger or persecution) /ˈa.si.lo/
nounB2#2749 most common
Also: shelter, sanctuary, orphanage (for children, in older/institutional use)
Example sentences
Το παιδί μεγάλωσε σε ένα άσυλο.
The child grew up in an orphanage.
Η κυβέρνηση έδωσε άσυλο στον πρόσφυγα.
The government granted asylum to the refugee.
Ζήτησε πολιτικό άσυλο στη Γερμανία.
He requested political asylum in Germany.
Το πανεπιστήμιο είχε άσυλο, οπότε η αστυνομία δεν μπορούσε να μπει μέσα.
The university had inviolability, so the police could not enter.
Χιλιάδες άνθρωποι αναζητούν άσυλο κάθε χρόνο εξαιτίας πολέμων και διώξεων.
Thousands of people seek asylum every year because of wars and persecution.
Η αίτηση ασύλου του απορρίφθηκε μετά από μακρόχρονη δικαστική διαδικασία.
His asylum application was rejected after a lengthy judicial process.
Declension
| Case | Singular | Plural |
|---|---|---|
| Nominative | το άσυλο | τα άσυλα |
| Genitive | του ασύλου | των ασύλων |
| Accusative | το άσυλο | τα άσυλα |
| Vocative | άσυλο | άσυλα |
Word family
ασυλίαimmunity, especially legal or parliamentary immunity
άσυλοςinviolable, sacrosanct (literary/legal register)
πολιτικό άσυλοpolitical asylum
αιτών ασύλουasylum seeker
Etymology
The word comes from Ancient Greek ἄσυλον (ásylon), the neuter form of ἄσυλος (ásylos), meaning inviolable or safe from seizure. It combines the negative prefix ἀ- with a root related to συλάω (syláō), to strip or plunder. Latin borrowed it as asylum, and from there it spread into most European languages with the same core sense of a protected place.
Learn Greek the way that sticks.
Every word here is a full Polylex card with native audio and spaced repetition, so 3,509 words actually move into long-term memory.
Start free
Every word here is a full Polylex card with native audio and spaced repetition, so 3,509 words actually move into long-term memory.
Start free