Learn Greek › A2 › έδαφος
έδαφος
ground /ˈeðafos/
nounA2#756 most common
Also: soil, terrain / territory, (figurative) ground, footing
Example sentences
Το έδαφος είναι υγρό.
The ground is wet.
Τα παιδιά κάθισαν στο έδαφος.
The children sat on the ground.
Η ποιότητα του εδάφους επηρεάζει τη σοδειά.
The quality of the soil affects the harvest.
Οι στρατιώτες προχωρούσαν προσεκτικά σε εχθρικό έδαφος.
The soldiers advanced carefully through enemy territory.
Με τη νέα της στρατηγική, η εταιρεία κερδίζει έδαφος απέναντι στους ανταγωνιστές της.
With its new strategy, the company is gaining ground against its competitors.
Μπαίνοντας σε τόσο ολισθηρό έδαφος, όφειλε να σταθμίσει κάθε του λέξη.
Venturing onto such slippery ground, he had to weigh his every word.
Declension
| Case | Singular | Plural |
|---|---|---|
| Nominative | έδαφος | εδάφη |
| Genitive | εδάφους | εδαφών |
| Accusative | έδαφος | εδάφη |
| Vocative | έδαφος | εδάφη |
Word family
εδαφικόςterritorial; edaphic, of the soil
υπέδαφοςsubsoil, substratum
κατεδαφίζωto demolish, raze (lit. 'bring to the ground')
εδαφολογίαsoil science, pedology
εδαφολόγοςsoil scientist, pedologist
Etymology
From Ancient Greek ἔδαφος (édaphos) 'bottom, foundation, ground, floor', which in Modern Greek denotes soil, ground and, figuratively, footing or basis. It was traditionally linked to ἕδος 'seat, foundation' and ἕζομαι 'to sit' (the ground being where things 'settle'), but the unusual -φ- has led scholars such as Beekes to treat the word as of probable Pre-Greek (substrate) origin, so its deeper root is uncertain. The English scientific term 'edaphic' (relating to soil) is borrowed from this Greek word.
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