νυχτερίδα
nychterída/nixteˈɾiða/feminine
The Greek word for bat is νυχτερίδα (nychterída).
The word refers to the small flying mammal.
Meaning: small flying mammal (noun)
How does it change in a sentence?
The word is a feminine noun. To refer to multiple bats, use the plural form νυχτερίδες.
How do you pronounce it?
The pronunciation is /nixteˈɾiða/. The romanization is nychterída.
Did you know?
- Greek has a distinct word for the 'bat' used in sports, ρόπαλο, which sounds nothing like the flying mammal νυχτερίδα.
- The root of the word, νυκτερός, is the same root found in the English word 'nocturnal', making them distant linguistic cousins.
- The ancient Greek ancestor of this word, νυκτερίς, was used by Aristotle in his early biological observations of the animal.
Examples in context
- Η νυχτερίδα τρώει την πεταλούδα.The bat eats the butterfly.This sentence is useful for seeing how to use the word νυχτερίδα in a simple subject position.Tatoeba #11679653 by carlosalberto, translation #11679637 by carlosalberto
- Η νυχτερίδα είναι ένα θαυμάσιο θηλαστικό που μπορεί να πετάξει.The bat is a fascinating mammal that can fly.
- Είδα μια νυχτερίδα στον κήπο.Eida mia nychterida ston kipo.I saw a bat in the garden.
- Μια νυχτερίδα πετάει κοντά στο παράθυρο.Mia nychterida petai konta sto parathyro.A bat is flying near the window.
Example conversation
In a living room at night.
- Ελένη EleniΝίκο, τι είναι αυτό το μαύρο που πετάει;Niko, ti einai afto to mavro pou petai;Nikos, what is that black thing flying?
- Νίκος NikosΜια νυχτερίδα, Ελένη, μην πανικοβάλλεσαι.Mia nychterida, Eleni, min panikovallasai.A bat, Eleni, don't panic.
- Ελένη EleniΔεν θέλω μια νυχτερίδα στο σπίτι μας!Den thelo mia nychterida sto spiti mas!I don't want a bat in our house!
- Νίκος NikosΘα βγει έξω αμέσως.Tha vgei exos amesos.It will go outside immediately.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “bat” translations and entries νυχτερίδα, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
