Learn Greek › B2 › κερί
κερί
candle /ceˈri/
nounB2#2769 most common
Also: wax
Example sentences
Άναψα ένα κερί.
I lit a candle.
Το κερί καίει στο τραπέζι.
The candle is burning on the table.
Αγόρασα κεριά για τη γιορτή.
I bought candles for the celebration.
Το κερί έλιωσε μέσα στη νύχτα.
The candle melted during the night.
Άναψαν κεριά στην εκκλησία για τους νεκρούς.
They lit candles in the church for the dead.
Το φως του κεριού έριχνε σκιές στους τοίχους του παλιού σπιτιού.
The candle's light cast shadows on the walls of the old house.
Declension
| Case | Singular | Plural |
|---|---|---|
| Nominative | κερί | κεριά |
| Genitive | κεριού | κεριών |
| Accusative | κερί | κεριά |
| Vocative | κερί | κεριά |
Word family
κεράκιlittle candle
κερώνωto coat with wax
κέρινοςwaxen, wax-like
κηροπήγιοcandlestick
Etymology
Κερί comes from the ancient Greek κηρίον, a diminutive of κηρός, meaning wax or honeycomb. Over time the word narrowed in everyday use to mean a wax candle rather than wax in general. The connection to bees and honeycomb wax is still visible in the root.
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