It is an oversimplification to say that classical Greek adjectives are exactly parallel in morphology to their Latin cousins. After learning the Latin types, however, you will find the Greek system quite familiar. There is one group of Greek adjectives whose forms are drawn from the first and second declensions (cf. L magnus<\/b>, magna<\/b>, magnum<\/b>), and another whose forms belong wholly or in part to the third declension (cf. L fortis<\/b>). Rather than worry about details of grammar that concern only the serious student of Greek, we can concentrate on the roots and combining forms of these adjectives, in order to see how they affect English vocabulary.<\/p>\r\n
Just as the Latin adjective meaning \u201cequal\u201d had the three forms aequus<\/b> (M), aequa<\/b> (F), and aequum <\/b>(N), so its Greek semantic counterpart had the three forms \u1f30\u03c3\u03bf\u03c2 (M), \u1f30\u03c3\u03b7 (F), and \u1f30\u03c3\u03bf\u03bd (N). For simplicity\u2019s sake, we\u2019ll ignore gender distinctions and use only the masculine form \u1f30\u03c3\u03bf\u03c2, whose base is obviously \u1f30\u03c3- (is<\/b>-). Here is a useful group of Greek 1st and 2nd declension adjectives:<\/p>\r\n\r\n