aorist

American  

[ey-uh-rist] / ˈeɪ ə rɪst /

noun

1. a verb tense, as in Classical Greek, expressing action or, in the indicative mood, past action, without further limitation or implication.

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adjective

1. of or in this tense.

aorist British  

/ ˈeɪərɪst, ˈɛərɪst /

noun

1. grammar a tense of the verb in classical Greek and in certain other inflected languages, indicating past action without reference to whether the action involved was momentary or continuous Compare perfect imperfect

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Other Word Forms

• aoristic
  adjective
• aoristically
  adverb

Etymology

Origin of aorist

1575–85; < Greek aóristos unlimited, equivalent to a- a- ⁶ + ( h ) oristós limited ( *horid- (base of horízein to bound, limit; see horizon) + -tos adj. suffix)

Example Sentences

My dearest Mr. Boyd,—I wish I had a note from you to-day—which optative aorist I am not sure of being either grammatical or reasonable!

From The Letters of Elizabeth Barrett Browning (1 of 2) by Kenyon, Frederic G. (Frederic George), Sir

Present, aorist, and reduplicated perfect, as forming a skeleton conjugation, iv.

From Chips from a German Workshop - Volume IV Essays chiefly on the Science of Language by Müller, F. Max (Friedrich Max)

Thank you, Meyrick, for your most original ideas on the force of the aorist.

From The Secret Glory by Machen, Arthur

Other forms which Greek has added to the original system are the pluperfect—in form a past of the perfect stem with aorist endings.

From Encyclopaedia Britannica, 11th Edition, Volume 12, Slice 4 "Grasshopper" to "Greek Language" by Various

Present, aorist, and reduplicated perfect, as forming a skeleton conjugation, 128.

From Chips from a German Workshop - Volume IV Essays chiefly on the Science of Language by Müller, F. Max (Friedrich Max)