grec

Frequency

C1
Pronounced as (IPA)
/ɡʁɛk/
Etymology

In summary

Inherited from Middle French grec, borrowed from Latin graecus, from Ancient Greek Γραικός (Graikós). This learned form supplanted the older grégeois (now only in feu grégeois), from Old French grezois, derived from inherited Old French gri(e)u with the ending -ois, or possibly stemming from a Vulgar Latin *graeciscus. The feminine form in -cque is a remnant of an older spelling habit, which has occasionally survived after -e- (compare Mecque), possibly in order to avoid the grave accent (*grèque).

Related words

Grecian

Hellenic language

hellenic

𐐘𐑉𐐨𐐿

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