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κέφι

high spirits, zest for enjoyment /ˈce.fi/

nounC1#3129 most common

Also: good mood, gusto, festive energy

Example sentences

Έχω κέφι σήμερα.
I'm in a great mood today.
Δεν έχω κέφι για δουλειά.
I have no enthusiasm for work.
Το πάρτι είχε πολύ κέφι.
The party was full of fun and energy.
Παίζουν μπουζούκι με κέφι μέχρι το πρωί.
They play the bouzouki with gusto until morning.
Τα κέφια της είχαν χαλάσει από το πρωί.
Her good mood had been spoiled since the morning.
Το κέφι του γλεντιού μεταδόθηκε σε όλους τους καλεσμένους, παρά την κούραση της μέρας.
The festive spirit of the celebration spread to all the guests, despite the day's exhaustion.

Declension

CaseSingularPlural
Nominativeτο κέφιτα κέφια
Genitiveτου κεφιούτων κεφιών
Accusativeτο κέφιτα κέφια
Vocativeκέφικέφια

Word family

κεφάτοςcheerful, in high spirits
κεφάταcheerfully, with gusto
ξεκέφιloss of mood or enthusiasm (colloquial)

Etymology

Κέφι entered Greek from Ottoman Turkish keyif, which itself came from Arabic kayf, meaning mood, pleasure, or well-being. The word spread through the eastern Mediterranean during centuries of contact under Ottoman rule and settled into everyday Greek as a term for high spirits and the urge to enjoy life. It is not a native Greek formation, so it has no Indo-European root of its own.

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