Learn Greek › B2 › ξαφνικός
ξαφνικός
sudden /ksafnikˈos/
adjectiveB2#2624 most common
Also: unexpected, abrupt
Example sentences
Έγινε μια ξαφνική βροχή.
There was a sudden rain.
Άκουσα έναν ξαφνικό θόρυβο.
I heard a sudden noise.
Η απόφασή του ήταν πολύ ξαφνική.
His decision was very sudden.
Ο ξαφνικός θάνατός του σόκαρε όλους.
His sudden death shocked everyone.
Μια ξαφνική αλλαγή στον καιρό μας ανάγκασε να γυρίσουμε πίσω.
A sudden change in the weather forced us to turn back.
Η ξαφνική πτώση των τιμών προκάλεσε πανικό στην αγορά.
The sudden drop in prices caused panic in the market.
Declension
| Case | Singular | Plural |
|---|---|---|
| Nominative | ξαφνικός | ξαφνικοί |
| Genitive | ξαφνικού | ξαφνικών |
| Accusative | ξαφνικό | ξαφνικούς |
| Vocative | ξαφνικέ | ξαφνικοί |
Word family
ξαφνικάsuddenly
ξαφνιάζομαιto be startled or surprised
ξάφνιασμαa startle, a moment of surprise
αιφνιδιάζωto catch someone off guard, to surpriseEtymology
Ξαφνικός derives from the adverb έξαφνα, meaning suddenly, which itself comes from the older form εξαίφνης in Ancient Greek. Εξαίφνης combines the preposition ἐξ (out of) with a form related to αἰφνίδιος, an ancient adjective for sudden. The word passed through Byzantine and later Greek with the sense of something happening without warning.
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