aorist tense
The term "aorist" is derived from the Greek word ἀόριστος (*aóristos*), meaning "indefinite," and it is primarily used in Ancient Greek and other Indo-European languages.
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Definition
C1Linguistics
(technical, academic)A verb form that indicates an action as a single, complete event without specifying its duration.
Example
- In Ancient Greek, the aorist tense is often used to narrate past events.
- The aorist tense focuses on the action as a whole rather than its progression.
C1Ancient Greek
(historical)A verb tense used to describe past actions without specifying the exact time or duration.
Example
- The aorist tense in Ancient Greek can describe actions that happened before the main narrative.
Similar
Terms that have similar or relatively close meanings to "aorist tense":