κουνούπι
kounoúpi/kuˈnupi/neuter
The Greek word for "mosquito" is κουνούπι (kounoúpi).
κουνούπι is the everyday word for the small biting insect that sucks blood, common on warm summer nights.
Meaning: small flying insect of the family Culicidae, known for biting and sucking blood (noun)
How does it change in a sentence?
κουνούπι is a neuter noun. Its plural is κουνούπια, and the form meaning "of the mosquito" is κουνουπιού, as in the phrase for a mosquito bite.
How do you pronounce it?
It is pronounced /kuˈnupi/, romanized kounoúpi, with the stress on the second syllable.
Did you know?
- The Greek word for 'sofa' καναπές is a linguistic relative of κουνούπι. This is because ancient beds and sofas were often draped with nets to keep mosquitoes away.
- The Ancient Greek ancestor of the word, κώνωψ, may have originated from the Ancient Egyptian word ḫnws, meaning a stinging insect.
- When Greeks are heavily bitten by insects, they use the phrase με έφαγαν τα κουνούπια, which literally claims 'the mosquitoes ate me'.
Examples in context
- τσίμπημα κουνουπιούMosquito biteHere κουνουπιού means "of the mosquito", so the phrase means a mosquito bite.
- Πρέπει να φέρω αντικουνουπικό ψεκασμό για να αποφύγω τα κουνούπια.I need to bring mosquito repellent to avoid mosquitoes.
- Ένα κουνούπι με τσίμπησε.A mosquito bit me.
- Υπάρχει ένα κουνούπι στο δωμάτιο.Yparchei ena kounoupi sto romatio.There is a mosquito in the room.
Example conversation
Nikos and Kyriaki are sitting on a terrace in the evening.
- Νίκος NikosΚυριακή, βάζε αντικουνουπικό, έχει κάθε κουνούπι εδώ!Kyriakí, vázé antikounoupikó, échei káthe kounoúpi edó!Kyriaki, put on mosquito repellent, there are mosquitoes everywhere here!
- Κυριακή KyriakiΈχεις δίκιο, Νίκο, με τσιμπάει συνέχεια.Écheis díkio, Níko, me tsimpái synécheia.You are right, Nikos, it keeps biting me.
- Νίκος NikosΠροσπάθησα να χτυπήσω ένα κουνούπι πριν.Prospáthisa na chtypíso éna kounoúpi prin.I tried to hit a mosquito earlier.
- Κυριακή KyriakiΔεν τα προλαβαίνεις ποτέ!Den ta prolavaíneis poté!You never catch them!
Sources
- Wiktionary, “mosquito” translations and entries κουνούπι, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries κουνούπι, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Wiktionary CC BY-SA 4.0.
