Meaning & use
Aorist
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A verb tense, especially in ancient Greek, that expresses a simple, completed action without indicating its duration or ongoing relevance; also used adjectivally to describe such a tense.
See it in a sentence
The aorist in Greek grammar often narrates a single completed event in a story.
Students of classical Greek must memorize the aorist forms of irregular verbs.
A note on using this word
The word "aorist" comes from the Greek "aoristos," meaning "undefined" or "indeterminate," reflecting the tense's focus on the fact of an action rather than its timing or duration.
Another way to use it
2. adjective
Relating to or having the grammatical aspect of the aorist tense.
The aorist aspect appears frequently in ancient narrative texts.
Make it your own
Write a sentence using “Aorist”, then compare your use with the examples above.