aorist

noun

Meaning

A verb form in certain languages, most notably Ancient Greek, that denotes a completed action without emphasizing its duration or progress.

Examples

  • The professor explained that the aorist tense is essential for narrating historical events in Greek.
  • Students often struggle to distinguish the aorist from the imperfect tense when translating Homer.

Synonyms: past tense, perfective, simple past, punctiliar