Definition

1. Proper noun:
   • The modern form of the Greek language: "New Greek" refers to the contemporary stage of the Greek language, used in spoken and written communication in Greece and Cyprus today. It is the direct descendant of Ancient Greek.

Usage

• "New Greek" is used as a specific linguistic term to distinguish the modern language from its historical forms (e.g., Ancient Greek, Medieval Greek). It is synonymous with "Modern Greek."
• It functions as a proper noun and is often capitalized.

Examples

• Proper noun:
  • The university offers courses in both Ancient and New Greek.
  • She is fluent in New Greek after living in Athens for five years.

Advanced Usage

• In academic or linguistic contexts, "New Greek" precisely denotes the language in its present standardized form (Demotic Greek), which became the official language of Greece in the 1970s.
• The term can be used to discuss linguistic features, literature, or media produced in the contemporary language.

Variants and Related Words

• Modern Greek (n): The most common synonym for "New Greek."
• Demotic Greek (n): Specifically refers to the vernacular form of New Greek that became the standard.
• Katharevousa (n): A former, more archaic form of Modern Greek, now largely obsolete.

Synonyms

• Modern Greek: The contemporary Greek language.
• Contemporary Greek: Greek as used in the present era.

Notes

• While "New Greek" and "Modern Greek" are interchangeable, "Modern Greek" is far more common in everyday usage. "New Greek" is primarily used in historical linguistic classification.

Noun

1. the Greek language as spoken and written today