Learn Greek › B1 › φύλακας
φύλακας
guard /ˈfilakas/
nounB1#1937 most common
Also: watchman, keeper, sentry
Example sentences
Ο φύλακας ανοίγει την πόρτα.
The guard opens the door.
Ο φύλακας του σχολείου είναι πολύ ευγενικός.
The school guard is very kind.
Χθες μίλησα με τον φύλακα του μουσείου.
Yesterday I spoke with the museum guard.
Οι φύλακες περιπολούν γύρω από το κτίριο όλη τη νύχτα.
The guards patrol around the building all night.
Χωρίς την επαγρύπνηση του φύλακα, η διάρρηξη θα είχε πετύχει.
Without the guard's vigilance, the break-in would have succeeded.
Ο φύλακας, παρά τα χρόνια υπηρεσίας του, εξακολουθούσε να επιτηρεί κάθε γωνιά του κτιρίου με αμείωτη προσοχή.
The guard, despite his years of service, kept watching every corner of the building with undiminished attention.
Declension
| Case | Singular | Plural |
|---|---|---|
| Nominative | ο φύλακας | οι φύλακες |
| Genitive | του φύλακα | των φυλάκων |
| Accusative | τον φύλακα | τους φύλακες |
| Vocative | φύλακα | φύλακες |
Word family
φυλάσσω / φυλάωto guard, to watch over
φυλακήprison; guard dutyφυλακτικόςprotective
φύλαξηthe act of guarding
φυλακτήριοamulet, phylactery
Etymology
Φύλακας descends from Ancient Greek φύλαξ (phýlax), genitive φύλακος, meaning guard or watcher. That noun is tied to the verb φυλάσσω (phylássō), to guard or watch over. The ultimate root of φυλάσσω is not securely established; some scholars treat it as possibly Pre-Greek rather than inherited Indo-European vocabulary. Modern Greek regularized the old third-declension form into the -ακας pattern seen today.
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