This page lists 74 Greek words that start with D, from “Daimonas” to “Dyskolo”. The list covers everyday nouns, numbers, verbs, adjectives, and a few words from myth and history. You can use it to build your vocabulary, check a meaning, or see how Greek connects to English.
Greek words are the building blocks of one of the oldest written languages still spoken today. Many of them live on in English, and “Dimokratia” gave us “democracy” more than 2,500 years ago.
Below you’ll find the table with the word, English translation, part of speech, example usage, and description.
Word: The Greek term written in Latin letters, so you can read and pronounce it even if you don’t know the Greek alphabet yet.
English translation: The closest English meaning of each word, so you can quickly see what it stands for and when to use it.
Part of speech: Whether the word is a noun, verb, adjective, adverb, or numeral, which helps you place it correctly in a sentence.
Example usage: A short sentence in Greek with its English meaning in brackets, showing you how the word sounds in real conversation.
Description: A brief note on the word’s origin, common uses, or links to English, which makes it easier to remember.
Greek words
| Word | English translation | Part of speech | Example usage |
|---|---|---|---|
| Daimonas | demon, spirit | noun | O daimonas einai sto mythistorima (The demon is in the novel) |
| Daktylidi | ring | noun | Agorasa ena daktylidi (I bought a ring) |
| Daktylo | finger | noun | Eskasa to daktylo mou (I hurt my finger) |
| Dakry | tear | noun | Ena dakry ekyle sto prosopo tis (A tear ran down her face) |
| Daskalos | teacher | noun | O daskalos mas einai poly kalos (Our teacher is very good) |
| Dasos | forest | noun | To dasos einai poly omorfo (The forest is very beautiful) |
| Deka | ten | numeral | Echo deka efro (I have ten euros) |
| Dekada | ten, decade | noun | Ti dekada ekane i Ellada kalytera (Which decade did Greece do best) |
| Dekapente | fifteen | numeral | Dekapente meres diakopes (Fifteen days of holiday) |
| Dekatessera | fourteen | numeral | Echo dekatessera mila (I have fourteen apples) |
| Dekemvrios | December | noun | O Dekemvrios einai o teleftaios minas (December is the last month) |
| Delfini | dolphin | noun | Ida ena delfini stin thalassa (I saw a dolphin in the sea) |
| Delfoi | Delphi | noun | Pigame stous Delfous (We went to Delphi) |
| Den | not, no | adverb | Den xero (I don’t know) |
| Dendro | tree | noun | To dendro einai psilo (The tree is tall) |
| Derma | skin | noun | To derma mou einai ksero (My skin is dry) |
| Deftera | Monday | noun | Tin Deftera ginetai i sindrisi (The meeting takes place on Monday) |
| Deftero | second (ordinal) | adjective | To deftero vivlio (The second book) |
| Despotis | despot, master | noun | O despotis ekane ton nomo (The ruler made the law) |
| Diaita | diet | noun | Akolouthei mia diaita (He follows a diet) |
| Diaitologos | dietitian | noun | Pigame ston diaitologo (I went to the dietitian) |
| Dialektos | dialect | noun | I Kritiki dialektos einai idiaiteri (The Cretan dialect is distinctive) |
| Dialexi | lecture | noun | Parakolouthisa mia dialexi (I attended a lecture) |
| Dialogos | dialogue | noun | O dialogos ton dyo itan endiaferon (The dialogue between the two was interesting) |
| Diadikasia | procedure, process | noun | I diadikasia einai makria (The procedure is long) |
| Diadromi | route, path | noun | I diadromi einai omorfi (The route is beautiful) |
| Diafimisi | advertisement | noun | Ida mia diafimisi stin tileorasi (I saw an ad on TV) |
| Diafora | difference | noun | Yparchei megali diafora (There is a big difference) |
| Diaforetiko | different | adjective | Einai ena diaforetiko vivlio (It is a different book) |
| Diakopes | holidays, vacation | noun | Tha pame diakopes ston Avgousto (We will go on vacation in August) |
| Diavazo | I read | verb | Diavazo ena vivlio (I am reading a book) |
| Diavolos | devil | noun | O diavolos einai stin parastasi (The devil is in the show) |
| Diaskedasi | entertainment, fun | noun | I diaskedasi arxizei to vrady (The fun begins in the evening) |
| Diefthyntis | director, manager | noun | O diefthyntis einai sto grafeio (The manager is in the office) |
| Dieuthynsi | address | noun | Poia einai i dieuthynsi sou (What is your address) |
| Digamma | digamma | noun | To digamma exei chathei (The digamma was lost) |
| Dikaios | fair, just | adjective | O kritis itan dikaios (The judge was fair) |
| Dikaioma | right, entitlement | noun | Echeis dikaioma na milas (You have the right to speak) |
| Dikaiosyni | justice | noun | I dikaiosyni einai vasiki aksia (Justice is a basic value) |
| Dikastirio | court | noun | Pigan sto dikastirio (They went to court) |
| Dikastis | judge | noun | O dikastis akouse ti ypothesi (The judge heard the case) |
| Diki | trial, lawsuit | noun | I diki arxizei avrio (The trial starts tomorrow) |
| Dikigoros | lawyer | noun | Echo ena dikigoro (I have a lawyer) |
| Dilosi | statement, declaration | noun | Egine mia dilosi apo ton ypourgo (A statement was made by the minister) |
| Dimiourgia | creation | noun | I dimiourgia tou kosmou (The creation of the world) |
| Dimiourgos | creator | noun | O dimiourgos tis istorias (The creator of the story) |
| Dimokratia | democracy | noun | I Ellada einai dimokratia (Greece is a democracy) |
| Dimos | municipality, people | noun | O dimos tis Athinas (The municipality of Athens) |
| Dimosiografos | journalist | noun | O dimosiografos egrapse ena arthro (The journalist wrote an article) |
| Dimosios | public | adjective | To dimosio scholeio (The public school) |
| Dipla | next to, beside | adverb | To spiti einai dipla sti thalassa (The house is next to the sea) |
| Diplo | double | adjective | Thelo ena diplo kafe (I want a double coffee) |
| Diskos | disc, discus | noun | O diskos ehase ston aera (The disc flew through the air) |
| Diktyo | network, net | noun | To diktyo den doulevei (The network isn’t working) |
| Dioikisi | administration, management | noun | I dioikisi tis etairias (The management of the company) |
| Dokimazo | I try, I test | verb | Dokimazo to fagito (I’m trying the food) |
| Dokimi | test, trial | noun | To dokimi itan dyskolo (The test was hard) |
| Dolofonia | murder | noun | Egine mia dolofonia sti geitonia (A murder happened in the neighborhood) |
| Domata | tomato | noun | I domata einai kokkini (The tomato is red) |
| Doro | gift | noun | Mou eftiakse ena doro (He made me a gift) |
| Dolmades | stuffed vine leaves | noun | Fagame dolmades gia mesimeri (We ate dolmades for lunch) |
| Doxa | glory, opinion | noun | Doxa to Theo (Glory to God) |
| Drachmi | drachma | noun | I drachmi itan to nomisma tis Elladas (The drachma was Greece’s currency) |
| Drakos | dragon | noun | O drakos exei fotia (The dragon has fire) |
| Drama | drama, play | noun | Dame mia drama sto theatro (We saw a drama at the theater) |
| Dromeas | runner | noun | O dromeas ekerdise ton agona (The runner won the race) |
| Dromos | road, street | noun | O dromos einai makris (The road is long) |
| Drosia | dew | noun | I drosia stis petalouthes (The dew on the petals) |
| Dyo | two | numeral | Echo dyo adelfia (I have two siblings) |
| Dynami | power, strength | noun | I dynami tou anemou (The power of the wind) |
| Dynamis | power, force | noun | I dynamis tis pliroforias (The power of information) |
| Dynatos | strong, possible | adjective | Einai poly dynatos anthropos (He is a very strong man) |
| Dyskolia | difficulty | noun | Antimetopisame mia dyskolia (We faced a difficulty) |
| Dyskolo | difficult | adjective | To mathima einai dyskolo (The lesson is difficult) |
Descriptions
Daimonas
The root of the English word “demon”. In ancient Greek, a daimon was a spirit or divine power, not necessarily evil. Modern Greek uses it for demons and also for very energetic people.
Daktylidi
The everyday word for a finger ring, such as a wedding band. It comes from daktylos, the word for finger.
Daktylo
The Greek word for finger or toe. It gives English words like dactyl and pterodactyl, which means “wing finger”.
Dakry
A teardrop. It is a literary word, and everyday speech often uses the plural dakrya for tears or crying.
Daskalos
A teacher, especially in primary school. The feminine form is daskala. The word also means a master or guide in a wider sense.
Dasos
The Greek word for a forest or woodland. Greece has many forested mountain areas, and the word turns up in place names and forestry terms.
Deka
The Greek number ten. It is the root of English words like decade, decimal and decathlon.
Dekada
A group of ten, or a period of ten years. English borrowed it directly as “decade”.
Dekapente
Fifteen, built from deka (ten) and pente (five). The word dekapentavgoustos refers to the August 15 holiday in Greece.
Dekatessera
The Greek word for fourteen, made from deka (ten) and tessera (four).
Dekemvrios
The name of December. It comes from deka (ten), because December was the tenth month in the old Roman calendar.
Delfini
The Greek word for a dolphin. Dolphins appear often in Greek art and myth, and the word also gives us the name of the sacred site Delphi.
Delfoi
The ancient site on Mount Parnassus that was home to the famous Oracle of Apollo. Today it is a UNESCO World Heritage Site and a popular day trip from Athens.
Den
The standard way to negate a verb in Greek. It is one of the first words learners pick up, and you hear it constantly in daily speech.
Dendro
A tree. It is the source of the English prefix “dendro-” found in words like dendrology and rhododendron.
Derma
The Greek word for skin. English uses it in words such as dermatology, epidermis and hypodermic.
Deftera
The Greek name for Monday. It literally means “the second”, because the week traditionally starts on Sunday.
Deftero
The ordinal number meaning “second”. It is also the root of deftero lepto, the word for a second of time.
Despotis
The origin of English “despot”. In Greek it means a master or ruler, and in the Orthodox Church it is also a title for a bishop.
Diaita
The word for diet, and also for way of life. The English word “diet” comes from this Greek term.
Diaitologos
A nutrition professional who advises people on what to eat. It combines diaita (diet) with logos (study).
Dialektos
A regional variety of a language. English got the word “dialect” from this Greek term. Greece has many local dialects, such as Cretan and Cypriot.
Dialexi
A talk or university lecture. It comes from the verb dialego, which means “to choose” or “to discuss”.
Dialogos
A conversation between two or more people. Ancient Greek philosophers used it as a form of writing, most famously Plato.
Diadikasia
A formal process or set of steps, often used for official paperwork, legal matters and administration.
Diadromi
A route, path or journey from one place to another. It is used for hiking trails and bus lines alike.
Diafimisi
The word for an advertisement or commercial. It comes from the verb diafimizo, which means to advertise.
Diafora
The Greek word for a difference. The verb diaferо means “to differ”, and English “different” has the same root.
Diaforetiko
An adjective meaning not the same. It is the neuter form of diaforetikos and is commonly used as a noun-like adjective.
Diakopes
The plural noun for a holiday or vacation. Summer diakopes on the Greek islands are a major part of the Greek year.
Diavazo
The standard Greek verb for reading. It is one of the first verbs beginners learn, and it is used for books, signs and messages.
Diavolos
The source of the English word “devil”. It originally meant “slanderer” or “one who throws across”, and in Greek it still means the devil.
Diaskedasi
Entertainment or amusement, including nightlife and leisure. Greeks often use it for a night out with friends.
Diefthyntis
A director or manager of an organization, school or company. The feminine is diefthyntria.
Dieuthynsi
The word for a street address, and also for direction or management. It comes from the verb dieuthyno, which means “to direct”.
Digamma
An archaic letter of the early Greek alphabet that sounded like “w”. It disappeared from standard Greek but left traces in the spelling of ancient Greek poetry.
Dikaios
An adjective for someone or something that is fair, right or just. Its related noun is dikaiosyni, meaning justice.
Dikaioma
A legal or moral right. It appears in phrases like “human rights” (anthropina dikaiomata).
Dikaiosyni
The concept of fairness and what is right. In ancient Greek thought, it was one of the four cardinal virtues.
Dikastirio
A court of law, the place where trials and legal hearings happen.
Dikastis
A judge in a courtroom. It is also used for a referee or an arbiter in a competition.
Diki
A court case or trial. In ancient Greece, Dike was the personification of justice.
Dikigoros
The common modern Greek word for a lawyer or attorney. It literally means someone who speaks in a case.
Dilosi
A statement or declaration. It is used both for official proclamations and for personal tax filings.
Dimiourgia
The act of making something new, or the thing made. It has a strong link to art and invention in modern Greek.
Dimiourgos
A creator or maker. In Plato’s writing, the Demiurge is the craftsman who shapes the universe.
Dimokratia
The system of government that ancient Athens invented, from demos (people) and kratos (power). It is the source of the English word “democracy”.
Dimos
In modern Greek, a local municipality. In ancient Greek, it meant “the people” or a local district, and it is the root of “democracy”.
Dimosiografos
A journalist or reporter. The word combines dimosios (public) with grafo (to write).
Dimosios
An adjective meaning public, state-run or open to everyone. It is used for services like hospitals, schools and transport.
Dipla
A word of place meaning near or beside. It is also used in the phrase dipla dipla, which means “side by side”.
Diplo
An adjective meaning double or twofold. Greek cafes use it to order a double espresso.
Diskos
A disc, as in a disc of metal or a music disc. The discus throw is one of the oldest Olympic events.
Diktyo
A net or network, including the internet. In Greek, Diadiktyo is the word for the internet itself.
Dioikisi
The act of running an organization, or the people who run it. It is common in business and public service.
Dokimazo
A common verb meaning to try, taste or test something. It is useful for restaurants, shops and exams alike.
Dokimi
A test, exam or trial. It can be a school test, a medical test or an experimental trial.
Dolofonia
The Greek word for murder or homicide. It comes from dolos (deceit) and fonos (killing).
Domata
A tomato. Tomatoes are central to Greek cooking, from the Greek salad to many baked and stewed dishes.
Doro
A present or gift. It is the root of the name Dorothea, which means “gift of God”.
Dolmades
A classic Greek dish of grape leaves wrapped around rice, herbs and sometimes meat. The word comes from the Turkish verb meaning “to stuff”.
Doxa
A word with two meanings, glory or praise, and belief or opinion. The English word “orthodox” comes from orthos (correct) and doxa.
Drachmi
The currency of Greece from ancient times until the euro replaced it in 2002. The word comes from a verb meaning “to grasp”, from a handful of metal rods.
Drakos
A dragon or serpent monster. In Greek folk tales, a drakos is often an ogre-like giant, and the word is the source of the English “dragon”.
Drama
A theatrical play or dramatic work. The word comes from the verb draо, which means “to do” or “to act”, and Greece invented the form.
Dromeas
A runner or sprinter. It comes from dromos (road, running), and it is used for athletes and also for people who run for fun.
Dromos
The standard word for road, street or running track. English words like hippodrome and palindrome both contain this root.
Drosia
Morning dew. It also appears in poetry and in the Greek word for cool or fresh, drosero.
Dyo
The Greek number two. It is the root of English words like dyad and dyslexia in a general sense, and is basic Greek vocabulary.
Dynami
Power, force or ability. English “dynamic”, “dynamite” and “dynasty” all come from the related Greek root dynamis.
Dynamis
The ancient Greek form of dynami. Aristotle used it as a philosophical term for potential, in contrast with energeia (actuality).
Dynatos
An adjective meaning strong, powerful or possible. It also appears in the phrase Einai dynato (It is possible).
Dyskolia
A problem or hardship. It comes from dys- (bad, hard) and the root of kolos.
Dyskolo
The neuter form of dyskolos, meaning hard or tricky. Learners meet it early when talking about Greek grammar.