μέγᾰς, μεγάλη [ᾰ], μέγα [ᾰ],
genitive μεγάλου, ης, ου,
dative μεγάλῳ, ῃ, ῳ,
accusative μέγᾰν, μεγάλην, μέγα [ᾰ]; dual μεγάλω, α, w;
plural μεγάλοι, μεγάλαι, μεγάλα, etc: the stem μεγάλο- is never used in
singular nominative and
accusative masculine and
neuter, and only once in
vocative masculine,
A) ὦ μεγάλε Ζεῦ [
Refs 4th c.BC+]
A.I)
big, of bodily size: frequently of stature, εἶδος. μ. ἦν ὁράασθαι [
Refs 8th c.BC+]; φῶτα μέγαν καὶ καλόν[
Refs 5th c.BC+]; φύσιν τίν᾽ εἶχε φράζ; Answ. μέγας [
Refs 5th c.BC+]
A.I.b)
full-grown, of age as shown by stature, νῦν δ᾽ ὅτε δὴ μ. εἰμί [
Refs 8th c.BC+]; later,
elder of two persons of the same name, Wilcken [
Refs 3rd c.BC+]; Σκιπίων ὁ μ. [
Refs 2nd c.BC+]
A.I.c) of animals, μ. ἵπποι, βοῦς, σῦς, [
Refs 8th c.BC+]
A.I.2) generally,
vast, high, οὐρανός, ὄρος, πύργος, [
Refs 8th c.BC+];
wide, πέλαγος, λαῖτμα θαλάσσης, [
Refs 8th c.BC+];
long, ἠϊών, αἰγιαλός, [
Refs 8th c.BC+]; but usually opposed to μικρός or σμικρός, πρὸς ἑαυτὸ ἕκαστον καὶ μ. καὶ σμικρόν [
Refs 5th c.BC+]
A.II) of quality or degree,
great, mighty, frequently epithet of gods, ὁ μ. Ζεύς [
Refs 4th c.BC+]; μεγάλα θεά, of Demeter and Persephone, [
Refs 5th c.BC+]; θεοὶ μεγάλοι, of the Cabiri, [
Refs]; Μήτηρ μ, of Cybele, [
Refs 3rd c.BC+]; Μήτηρ θεῶν μ. [
Refs]; Ἴσιδος μ. μητρὸς θεῶν [
Refs 2nd c.BC+]; μ. ἡ Ἄρτεμις Ἐφεσίων [
NT]; τίς θεὸς μ. ὡς ὁ θεὸς ἡμῶ; [
LXX+NT]; of men, μ. ἠδὲ κραταιός [
Refs 8th c.BC+]; μέγας ηὐξήθη rose
to greatness, [
Refs 4th c.BC+], i. e. the King of Persia, [
Refs 5th c.BC+]; as a title of special monarchs, Ἀρδιαῖος ὁ μ. [
Refs 5th c.BC+]
A.II.2)
strong, of the elements, etc, ἄνεμος, λαῖλαψ, Ζέφυρος, [
Refs 8th c.BC+]; of properties, passions, qualities, feelings, etc, of men, θάρσος, πένθος, ποθή, etc,[
NT+8th c.BC+]; ἡ μ. νοῦσος
epilepsy, [
Refs 5th c.BC+]
A.II.3) of sounds,
great, loud, ἀλαλητός, ἰαχή, πάταγος, ὀρυμαγδός, [
Refs 8th c.BC+]; θόρυβοι, κωκυτός, [
Refs 5th c.BC+]
A.II.4) generally,
great, mighty, ὅρκος [
Refs 8th c.BC+]; ὄλβος, τιμά, [
Refs 5th c.BC+]; μ. λόγος, μῦθος, a
great story, rumour, [
Refs 5th c.BC+]; ἐρώτημα a
big, i. e.
difficult, question, [
Refs 5th c.BC+];
weighty, important, τόδε μεῖζον [
Refs 8th c.BC+]; μέγα ποιέεσθαί τι to esteem
of great importance, [
Refs 5th c.BC+]; οὐκ ἂν εἴη παρὰ μέγα τὸ δικολογεῖν not of
great importance, [
Refs 5th c.BC+]; τὸ δὲ μέγιστον and what is
most important, [
Refs 5th c.BC+]; οἱ μέγιστοι καιροί the
most pressing emergencies, [
Refs 4th c.BC+]; μ. ὠνησάμενοι χρημάτων for
large sums, [
Refs 2nd c.BC+]
A.II.5) with a bad sense,
over-great, μέγα εἰπεῖν to speak
big, and so provoke divine wrath, [
Refs 8th c.BC+]; ἔπος μ, μ. λόγοι, [
Refs 5th c.BC+]; μηδὲν μέγ᾽ εἴπῃς [
Refs 5th c.BC+]; μεγάλα, μεῖζον ἢ δικαίως πνεῖν, [
Refs 5th c.BC+]
A.II.6) of style.
impressive, [
Refs 4th c.BC+]; μεῖζον
more striking, [
Refs]
A.II.7) of days,
long, [
Refs 2nd c.AD+]
B)
adverb μεγάλως [ᾰ]
greatly, mightily, [
Refs 8th c.BC+]
B.II) more frequently
neuter singular μέγα as
adverb,
very much, exceedingly, μ. χαῖρε
all hail, see l. for μάλα in [
Refs 8th c.BC+]; especially with Verbs expressing strong feeling, μ. κεν κεχαροίατο [
Refs 8th c.BC+]; or those expressing sound,
loudly, μ. ἰάχειν, ἀῧσαι, βοῆσαι, εὔξασθαι, ἀμβῶσαι, [
Refs 8th c.BC+]; μ. αὐδήσαντος, μ. ἤπυεν, [
Refs 8th c.BC+]: also in
plural, μεγάλα. δυστυχεῖς [
Refs]
B.II.2) of Space,
far, μέγα προθορών [
Refs 8th c.BC+]; ἄνευθε μέγα
far away,[
Refs 5th c.BC+]
B.II.3) with
adjectives, as μέγ᾽ ἔξοχος, μέγα νήπιος, [
Refs 8th c.BC+]; μ. νήπιε Oracle texts cited in [
Refs 5th c.BC+]: with
comparative and
superlative,
by far, μέγ᾽ ἀμείνονες, ἄριστος, φέρτατος, [
Refs 8th c.BC+]
C) degrees of Comparison (regular μεγαλώτερος, -ώτατος late, [
Refs]
C.1)
comparative μείζων, ον,
genitive ονος,
Epic dialect,
Attic dialect (also Delph, [
Refs 4th c.BC+];
Ionic dialect, [
Refs 4th c.AD+],
Doric dialect,
Aeolic dialect μέζων, ον, [
Refs 5th c.BC+] (also early
Attic dialect, [
Refs];
dative plural μεζόνεσσι [
Refs 7th c.BC+]: compare
μέττον· μεῖζον, [
NT+5th c.AD+] (used as title,
elder, [
Refs 6th c.AD+]; μειζονώτερος [
Refs 4th c.BC+]:—
greater, longer, taller, [
Refs 8th c.BC+]; frequently also,
too great, γέρας [
Refs 5th c.BC+]; Μηνόφιλος μείζων M.
the elder, [
Refs 2nd c.AD+]; as title, μειζων κώμης
headman of a village, [
Refs 4th c.AD+], etc: generally,
the higher authority, [
Refs 3rd c.AD+]; οὔτε μεῖζον οὔτε ἔλαττον, a strong form of denial,
nothing whatever, [
Refs 5th c.BC+].
adverb μειζόνως [
Refs 5th c.BC+];
Ionic dialect μεζόνως [
Refs 5th c.BC+]:
neuter as
adverb, μεῖζον σθένειν [
Refs 5th c.BC+]
C.2)
superlative μέγιστος, η, ον, [
Refs 8th c.BC+]:
neuter as
adverb, μέγιστον ἴσχυσε [
Refs 5th c.BC+]; δυνάμενος μ, with
genitive, [
Refs 5th c.BC+]: with another
superlative, μέγιστον ἐχθίστη [
Refs 5th c.BC+]; ἐς μέγιστον[
Refs 5th c.BC+]:—late
superlative μεγιστότατος [
Refs 1st c.AD+]. (Cf. Sanskrit
majmán- 'greatness', Latin
magnus, Gothic
mikils 'great'.)