κερί
kerí/cerˈri/neuter
The Greek word for "candle" is κερί (kerí).
κερί refers to a light source.
Meaning: a light source (noun)
How does it change in a sentence?
κερί is a neuter noun. In the singular, it uses neuter articles such as το (the) and neuter adjectives. To express the plural, use the neuter plural form κερία.
How do you pronounce it?
The romanization is kerí. The IPA is /cerˈri/.
Did you know?
- The word κερί shares a linguistic root with the Latin word 'cera', which is why English has the word 'cerate' for a wax-based medicinal ointment.
- The modern word κερί is actually a diminutive form of the Ancient Greek word κηρός, meaning it literally translates to 'little wax'.
- In the Greek Orthodox tradition, worshippers often buy κερία at the entrance of a church to place in tall sand-filled stands as a form of prayer.
Examples in context
- Ο Τομ άναψε το κερί.Tom lit the candle.Tatoeba #5597199 by Zeus, translation #4500630 by CK
- Άναψε το κερί.Light the candle.Tatoeba #5460515 by Zeus, translation #2259050 by _undertoad
- Παρακαλώ φέρτε μια λαμπάδα για την εκκλησία.Please bring a candle to the church.
- Θέλω να αγοράσω ένα κερί για το σπίτι μου.I want to buy a candle for my house.
- 3 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Maria and Nikos are preparing for a romantic dinner at home.
- Μαρία MariaΝίκο, πού είναι το κερί;Niko, pou ine to keri;Nikos, where is the candle?
- Νίκος NikosΕίναι εδώ, στο τραπέζι.Ine edo, sto trapezí.It is here, on the table.
- Μαρία MariaΠάρε το κερί και άναψέ το.Pare to keri kai ánapse to.Take the candle and light it.
- Νίκος NikosΦυσικά, Μαρία.Fysiká, María.Of course, Maria.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “candle” translations and entries κερί, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries κερί, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
