Temperature terms in Modern Greek

This paper gives a descriptive overview of the Modern Greek system of temperature terms. Temperature sensation is lexicalised by ten adjectives, eight nouns, and four verbs. All terms are of native origin. Lexicalisation of temperature is characterised by a number of asymmetries. Each word class is prototypically associated with the expression of one kind of temperature evaluation. Adjectives express mainly tactile, nouns ambient, and verbs personal-feeling temperature. Adjectives lexicalise more temperature values than nouns and verbs. In addition to the warming and cooling dimension, adjectives also lexicalise neutral temperature. In the warming dimension, Modern Greek conflates warm and hot in the adjective zestós. Modern Greek has a system of two basic terms, the adjectives zestós ‘warm/hot’ and kríos ‘cold’.