Adjective Agreement
An adjective **agrees with the noun it modifies in gender, number, and case** — always, without exception. So **ὁ ἀγαθὸς ἄνθρωπος** ('the good human'): both ὁ and ἀγαθός are masc. sg. nom., agreeing with ἄνθρωπος. Agreement is in GNC, **not** in declension: a 2nd-declension noun can be modified by a 1st-declension feminine adjective (ὁδὸς ἀγαθή — both f. sg. nom.).
**Matt 5:8** — Μακάριοι οἱ **καθαροὶ** τῇ **καρδίᾳ** ('Blessed [are] the **pure** in **heart**') — καθαροί (nom. pl. m.) modifies οἱ (the implied 'ones'); τῇ καρδίᾳ is dative of reference.
First- and Second-Declension Adjectives
The commonest type is the **3-termination adjective**: masculine and neuter follow the **2nd declension** (-ος, -ον), feminine follows the **1st declension** (-η or -α). Model: **ἀγαθός, ἀγαθή, ἀγαθόν** ('good'). These adjectives look exactly like nouns of the 1st and 2nd declensions — the difference is function (modifying a noun) and the three-gender set.
Three-Termination Adjectives
**Three-termination** adjectives have separate forms for m., f., n. The feminine is usually in -η (ἀγαθή) or -α (ὁσία if following certain patterns). The vast majority of NT adjectives are 3-termination 1st/2nd declension. Learn **ἀγαθός, ἀγαθή, ἀγαθόν** as the model.
Two-Termination Adjectives
A **two-termination adjective** normally has one form shared by masculine and feminine and a separate neuter form. The label describes the **gender-form pattern**, not the declensional class. First/second-declension examples include forms such as **ἄδικος, ἄδικον**; third-declension examples include **ἀληθής, ἀληθές** and **ἀσθενής, ἀσθενές**. Determine the actual declensional morphology separately from the number of terminations.
Third-Declension Adjectives
**Third-declension adjectives** use third-declension stem and ending patterns. Many are two-termination, such as **ἀληθής, ἀληθές** and **ἀσθενής, ἀσθενές**, but termination count and declensional class are separate dimensions. Mixed or irregular adjectives such as **πᾶς, πᾶσα, πᾶν** and **μέγας, μεγάλη, μέγα** should be described from their own paradigms rather than used as generic third-declension models.
One-Termination Adjectives
A **one-termination adjective** does not normally distinguish masculine from feminine in its citation form. Neuter usage may be restricted or may appear chiefly in oblique forms, depending on the adjective. The category therefore does **not** mean that one identical surface form productively serves all three genders in every case.
Irregular Adjectives
Several high-frequency adjectives have **irregular positive paradigms**, especially **μέγας, μεγάλη, μέγα** ('great') and **πολύς, πολλή, πολύ** ('much/many'). Learn their stem alternations with the paradigm. **ἀγαθός** is regularly declined as a first/second-declension adjective, although its **comparison** may use irregular comparative/superlative forms; irregular declension and irregular comparison must be kept distinct.
μέγας, μεγάλη, μέγα ('great')
**μέγας** ('great, large') shows the stem grades **μεγα- / μεγαλο-**: **μέγας, μεγάλη, μέγα**; acc. sg. **μέγαν, μεγάλην, μέγα**; gen. sg. **μεγάλου, μεγάλης, μεγάλου**. Most of the paradigm uses the μεγαλο- grade with regular first/second-declension endings, while a small set of singular forms preserves μεγα-.
**Matt 5:19** — …μέγας **κληθήσεται** ἐν τῇ βασιλείᾳ τῶν οὐρανῶν ('…he shall be called **great** in the kingdom of the heavens').
**Matt 24:30** — …μετὰ **δυνάμεως** καὶ **δόξης πολλῆς** ('…with power and **great** glory') — πολλῆς = f. gen. sg. of πολύς.
πολύς, πολλή, πολύ ('much, many')
**πολύς** ('much, many') alternates between **πολυ-** and **πολλο-**. The πολυ- grade appears in specific singular masculine/neuter forms, especially **πολύς, πολύν, πολύ**; most remaining forms use πολλο-, e.g. **πολλοῦ, πολλῆς, πολλοί, πολλαί, πολλά**. The irregularity is therefore not confined to the nominative singular.
Comparison of Adjectives
Adjectives form three **degrees**: **positive** (the basic form), **comparative** ('-er'), and **superlative** ('-est'). Greek has two sets of comparative/superlative endings: the **-τερος/-τατος** type and the **-ίων/-ιστος** type (older, Indo-European). Many adjectives use both.
Comparative in -τερος
The **-ότερος** comparative is added to the adjective stem: **σοφός** ('wise') → **σοφώτερος** ('wiser'), **ὑψηλός** ('high') → **ὑψηλότερος** ('higher'). It declines like a regular 1st/2nd-declension 3-termination adjective. This type is productive and common.
Superlative in -τατος
The **-ότατος** superlative corresponds to the -ότερος comparative: **σοφός** → **σοφώτατος** ('wisest'), **ὑψηλός** → **ὑψηλότατος** ('highest'). It declines regularly. The -τερος/-τατος pair is the younger, productive comparative system.
Comparative in -ίων
The older **-ίων** comparative is athematic (3rd declension): **ἀγαθός** → **κρείττων** (also **βελτίων**, 'better'), **κακός** → **χείρων** ('worse'), **μέγας** → **μείζων** ('greater'). The comparative -ίων has its own 3rd-declension paradigm (gen. -ιονος, syncopated to -ονος in the commonest forms: κρείττονος, μείζονος, χείρονος).
Superlative in -ιστος
The older superlative in **-ιστος** corresponds to -ίων: **ἀγαθός** → **ἄριστος** ('best'), **κακός** → **χείριστος** ('worst'), **μέγας** → **μέγιστος** ('greatest'). These are learned individually for the common adjectives.
Irregular Comparison
Several high-frequency adjectives use lexical or irregular comparison, and their sets must be kept distinct. **ἀγαθός** ('good') has comparatives such as **ἀμείνων, βελτίων, κρείττων** and corresponding lexical superlatives; **καλός** ('beautiful') has **καλλίων / κάλλιστος**. Other important sets include **κακός → χείρων / χείριστος**, **μέγας → μείζων / μέγιστος**, and **πολύς → πλείων/πλεῖον / πλεῖστος**. Learn the actual lexical comparison set rather than merging distinct positive adjectives.
**John 15:13** — μείζονα **ταύτης ἀγάπην** οὐδεὶς **ἔχει** ('No one has **greater** love than this') — μείζονα = acc. sg. f. of μέγας comparative.
**Matt 18:1** — Τίς ἄρα μείζων **ἐστὶν** ἐν τῇ βασιλείᾳ τῶν οὐρανῶν; ('Who then is **greatest** in the kingdom of the heavens?').
Comparative Forms and Contextual Meaning
Forms such as **πλεῖον** and **περισσότερον** are morphologically **comparative**, even when idiomatic English simply renders them 'more' or uses another comparative expression. Morphological degree must be distinguished from contextual translation. The presence of **ἤ** ('than') can clarify a comparative construction but does not create the comparative morphology.
Comparative Forms with Superlative Force
A morphologically **comparative** form can in some contexts express very high degree or be translated with effectively superlative force. The form remains comparative; contextual interpretation is a separate analytical step. Any claim that a particular Koine use is caused by Semitic influence requires independent historical/corpus evidence and should not be built into the morphology rule itself.
Paradigms
3-Termination Adjective: ἀγαθός, ἀγαθή, ἀγαθόν ('good')
The standard 1st/2nd-declension adjective: m./n. follow 2nd declension, f. follows 1st. Agreement in GNC, not declension.
| Case | m. sg. | f. sg. | n. sg. | m. pl. | f. pl. | n. pl. |
| Nom. | ἀγαθός | ἀγαθή | ἀγαθόν | ἀγαθοί | ἀγαθαί | ἀγαθά |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Gen. | ἀγαθοῦ | ἀγαθῆς | ἀγαθοῦ | ἀγαθῶν | ἀγαθῶν | ἀγαθῶν |
| Dat. | ἀγαθῷ | ἀγαθῇ | ἀγαθῷ | ἀγαθοῖς | ἀγαθαῖς | ἀγαθοῖς |
| Acc. | ἀγαθόν | ἀγαθήν | ἀγαθόν | ἀγαθούς | ἀγαθάς | ἀγαθά |
Comparison: Positive, Comparative, Superlative
Two comparative systems: -τερος/-τατος (younger, regular) and -ίων/-ιστος (older, irregular). The commonest comparatives are irregular.
| Degree | ἀγαθός ('good') | μακάριος ('blessed') |
| Positive | ἀγαθός good | μακάριος blessed |
|---|---|---|
| Comparative | κρείττων better | μακαριώτερος more blessed |
| Superlative | ἄριστος best | μακαριώτατος most blessed |
Chapter glossary
- ἀγαθός — good
agathos
adjective
Model 3-termination adjective (1st/2nd decl.); ἀγαθός, ἀγαθή, ἀγαθόν.- ἀληθής — true, truthful
alēthēs
adjective
2-termination 3rd-declension adjective; ἀληθής, ἀληθές.- μέγας — great, large
megas
adjective
Irregular positive adjective with stem alternation **μεγα- / μεγαλο-**; most forms use μεγαλο-, while μέγας/μέγαν/μέγα preserve μεγα-. Comparative: μείζων.- πολύς — much, many
polys
adjective
Irregular positive adjective with stem alternation **πολυ- / πολλο-**; πολυ- appears in forms such as πολύς, πολύν, πολύ, while most of the paradigm uses πολλο-. Comparative: πλείων.- πᾶς — all, every
pas
adjective
Irregular 3rd-declension adjective; πᾶς, πᾶσα, πᾶν.- κρείττων — better
kreittōn
adjective
Irregular comparative in the ἀγαθός comparison set, commonly meaning 'better/stronger/superior' according to context; distinguish καλός → καλλίων / κάλλιστος.- μείζων — greater
meizōn
adjective
Comparative of μέγας; John 15:13 'no greater love'.- — three-termination adjective
adjective
Adjective with separate m./f./n. forms (ἀγαθός, ἀγαθή, ἀγαθόν).- — two-termination adjective
adjective
Adjective termination pattern in which masculine and feminine normally share one form and neuter has another. The label describes gender-form pattern, not declensional class; two-termination adjectives occur in both first/second- and third-declension morphology.- — comparative
adjective
The '-er' degree: -ότερος (regular) or -ίων (older).- — superlative
adjective
The '-est' degree: -ότατος (regular) or -ιστος (older).