# ἀγαθός
## Ancient Greek
### Alternative forms

* ἀγασός (agasós) — Laconian
* ἀζαθός (azathós) — Arcadocypriot

### Etymology

Possibly from Proto-Hellenic *əgatʰós, from Proto-Indo-European *m̥ǵh₂dʰh₁ós (“made great; whose deeds are great”), from *méǵh₂s (“great”) + *dʰeh₁- (“do”) + *-ós. Compare Latin magnificus from same roots.
Beekes notes that if the glossing synonyms ἀκαθός (akathós) and χάσιος (khásios) are related to ἀγαθός (agathós), one would be forced to assume Pre-Greek borrowing instead.

### Pronunciation

* IPA: /a.ɡa.tʰós/ → /a.ɣaˈθos/ → /a.ɣaˈθos/
* (5th BCE Attic) IPA: /a.ɡa.tʰós/
* (1st CE Egyptian) IPA: /a.ɡaˈtʰos/
* (4th CE Koine) IPA: /a.ɣaˈθos/
* (10th CE Byzantine) IPA: /a.ɣaˈθos/
* (15th CE Constantinopolitan) IPA: /a.ɣaˈθos/

### Adjective

ᾰ̓γᾰθός • (ăgăthós) m (feminine ᾰ̓γᾰθή, neuter ᾰ̓γᾰθόν); first/second declension
* good, brave, noble, moral, gentle
* fortunate, lucky
* useful

#### Usage notes

The difference between the three most common comparatives/superlatives is the following:
* ἀμείνων (ameínōn), ἄριστος (áristos): stronger, braver, preferable, superior.
* βελτίων (beltíōn), βέλτιστος (béltistos): more fitting, morally superior.
* κρείσσων (kreíssōn), κράτιστος (krátistos): better, stronger.

#### Derived terms

* Αγαθάνωρ (Agathánōr)
* Ἀγάθαρχος (Agátharkhos)
* Ἀγαθή (Agathḗ)
* Ἀγαθήμερος (Agathḗmeros)
* ἀγαθοδαίμων (agathodaímōn)
* ἀγαθοεργέω (agathoergéō)
* Ἀγαθόκλεια (Agathókleia)
* Ἀγαθοκλῆς (Agathoklês)
* ἀγαθοποιέω (agathopoiéō)
* ἀγαθοποιΐα (agathopoiḯa)
* ἀγαθοποιός (agathopoiós)
* ἀγαθότης (agathótēs)
* Ἀγάθων (Agáthōn)
* ἀγαθωσύνη (agathōsúnē)
* Ἀνδράγαθος (Andrágathos)
* Ἀρχάγαθος (Arkhágathos)
* καλοκαγαθία (kalokagathía)

#### Descendants

* Greek: αγαθός (agathós)
* → Coptic: ⲁⲅⲁⲑⲟⲥ (agathos)

### References

* ↑ Beekes, Robert S. P. (1996) “Ancient European Loanwords”, in Historische Sprachforschung, volume 109, § 6. Gr. ἀγαθός – Goth. gods, page 227-230 of 215–236
* ↑ Beekes, Robert S. P. (2010) “ἀγαθός”, in Etymological Dictionary of Greek (Leiden Indo-European Etymological Dictionary Series; 10), volume I, with the assistance of Lucien van Beek, Leiden, Boston: Brill, →ISBN, page 7

### Further reading

* “ἀγαθός”, in Liddell & Scott (1940) A Greek–English Lexicon, Oxford: Clarendon Press
* “ἀγαθός”, in Liddell & Scott (1889) An Intermediate Greek–English Lexicon, New York: Harper & Brothers
* “ἀγαθός”, in Autenrieth, Georg (1891) A Homeric Dictionary for Schools and Colleges, New York: Harper and Brothers
* ἀγαθός in Bailly, Anatole (1935) Le Grand Bailly: Dictionnaire grec-français, Paris: Hachette
* Bauer, Walter et al. (2001) A Greek–English Lexicon of the New Testament and Other Early Christian Literature, Third edition, Chicago: University of Chicago Press
* ἀγαθός in Cunliffe, Richard J. (1924) A Lexicon of the Homeric Dialect: Expanded Edition, Norman: University of Oklahoma Press, published 1963
* ἀγαθός in the Diccionario Griego–Español en línea (2006–2025)
* “ἀγαθός”, in Slater, William J. (1969) Lexicon to Pindar, Berlin: Walter de Gruyter
* G18 in Strong, James (1979) Strong’s Exhaustive Concordance to the Bible
* Woodhouse, S. C. (1910) English–Greek Dictionary: A Vocabulary of the Attic Language‎, London: Routledge & Kegan Paul Limited. admirable idem, page 12.adroit idem, page 13.bold idem, page 88.brave idem, page 93.courageous idem, page 178.estimable idem, page 283.excellent idem, page 288.exemplary idem, page 290.gallant idem, page 352.good idem, page 366.skilful idem, page 780.virtuous idem, page 954.