κολιέ
kolié/koˈʎe/neuter
The English word necklace is translated into Greek as either κολιέ (kolié) or περιδέραιο.
Meaning: jewelry (noun)
Ways to say it
| Greek | Romanization (Wiktionary) | IPA | Note |
|---|---|---|---|
| κολιέ | kolié | /koˈʎe/ | neuter |
| περιδέραιο | peridéraio | neuter |
Which one should you use?
κολιέ is the more common choice for everyday speech, whereas περιδέραιο is used in more formal or literary contexts.
How does it change in a sentence?
The plural of the formal form περιδέραιο is περιδέραια. Both words are neuter nouns.
How do you pronounce it?
/koˈʎe/
Did you know?
- While κολιέ refers to the physical object, the broader term for jewelry, κοσμήματα, originates from the word κόσμος, which means 'order' or 'world'.
- The word περιδέραιο uses the prefix περι-, meaning 'around', which is also found in the English word 'perimeter'.
- While κολιέ is used for any common necklace, using the more formal περιδέραιο in a casual setting might make you sound like a character from a 19th-century Greek novel.
Examples in context
- Το κολιέ που φοράς είναι πανέμορφο.The necklace you're wearing is gorgeous.
- Αυτό το κολιέ είναι πολύ ακριβό.Aftó to kolié eínai polý akrivó.This necklace is very expensive.
- Θέλω να αγοράσω ένα κολιέ.Thélo na agoráso éna kolié.I want to buy a necklace.
Example conversation
Kostas gives Maria a gift for her birthday.
- Κώστας KostasΜαρία, έχω ένα δώρο για σένα.María, écho éna dóro gia séna.Maria, I have a gift for you.
- Μαρία MariaΤι είναι αυτό;Ti einai aftó?What is this?
- Κώστας KostasΕίναι ένα κολιέ από ασήμι.Einai éna kolié apó asími.It is a silver necklace.
- Μαρία MariaΕυχαριστώ πολύ, Κώστα!Efcharistó polý, Kósta!Thank you very much, Kostas!
Sources
- Wiktionary, “necklace” translations and entries κολιέ, περιδέραιο, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
