hendiadys
/hĕn-dī′ə-dĭs/
noun
- A figure of speech in which two words connected by a conjunction are used to express a single notion that would normally be expressed by an adjective and a substantive, such as grace and favor instead of gracious favor.
Wikipedia
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Hendiadys - Wikipedia
October 20, 2025 - Hendiadys is often used in Latin poetry.
conjunction for emphasis
Blogger
sabidius.blogspot.com › 2017 › 05 › the-use-of-hendiadys-in-latin.html
Sabidius' Classics Blog: THE USE OF HENDIADYS IN LATIN
Hendiadys is a figure of speech, ... by a conjunction, usually 'and'. The word 'hendiadys' itself is a Latinised version of the Greek phrase 'ἓν διὰ δυοῖν' (one through two)....
Merriam-Webster
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HENDIADYS Definition & Meaning - Merriam-Webster
Given that hen dia dyoin literally means "one through two," it's a perfect parent for a word that describes the expression of a single concept using two words, as in the phrase "rough and tough."
Wiktionary
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hendiadys - Wiktionary, the free dictionary
From Medieval Latin, from Ancient ... “two”), “one [idea] through two [words]”. ... (rhetoric) A figure of speech used for emphasis, where two words joined by and are used to express a single complex idea....
Audioshakespearepronunciationapp
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Hendiadys | Definition & Examples in Shakespeare
September 7, 2023 - Hendiadys is a figure of speech ... favor” in place of “grace and favor.” It stems from the Latin phrase “one thing by means of two” or “one through two.” While the phase is no longer cited among grammarians ...
Dictionary.com
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HENDIADYS Definition & Meaning | Dictionary.com
1580–90; < Medieval Latin; alteration of Greek phrase hèn dià dyoîn one through two, one by means of two ... Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context.
Wordsmith.org
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hendiadys
Oct 31, 2014 This week's theme ... Next week's theme Well-traveled words ... noun: A figure of speech in which two words joined by a conjunction are used to convey a single idea instead of using a word and its modifier....
Interesting Literature
interestingliterature.com › 2020 › 03 › what-is-hendiadys-introduction-examples
What is Hendiadys? – Interesting Literature
April 11, 2025 - Hendiadys (pronounced ‘hen-DIE-a-DIZ’) is from the Greek meaning literally ‘one-through-two’. Put simply, hendiadys is a figure of speech whereby one idea is expressed by two ‘substantives’ (specifically, nouns or adjectives). These two substantives are joined by the word ‘and’. A good example from Latin (used by both George T.
Top answer 1 of 2
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The OED’s earliest citation for hendiadys is from George Puttenham’s ‘The Art of Englishe Poesie’, published in 1589. The etymological note for the entry reads:
Late or medieval Latin hendiadys , < the Greek phrase ἓν διὰ δυοῖν ‘one by means of two’.
The Greek phrase is apparently not found in Greek grammarians, but is frequent in Servius on Virgil; in late MSS. of Servius, it appears latinized as endyadis , endyadys ; Papias (12–13th cent.) has endiadis.
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When
Google's Ngram Viewer shows only hendiadys showing up in English books, and it turns up around 1820:
Etymonline.com says hendiadys goes back further:
hendiadys
1580s, figure of speech in which two nouns joined by and are used in place of a noun and an adjective; from M.L. alteration of Gk. hen dia duoin "one (thing) by means of two." If this term was used by Greek grammarians it is no longer found in their writings, but it is frequent among Latin writers.
It also has no entries for hen dia dyoin or hendiadyoin.
Together, these things suggest that hendiadys is the term adopted into English rather than the origial Greek or Latin hen dia dyoin and hendiadyoin.
Why
I don't have a definitive answer, but Anglicised loanwords often take on a different form from their original and drop accents. Note the Latinised form is hèn dià dyoîn. For example, French risque is first recorded as risk in 1728 and French bâton as baton in 1540s. There are many here and many more here.
Etymonline
etymonline.com › word › hendiadys
Hendiadys - Etymology, Origin & Meaning
Originating in the 1580s from Medieval Latin altering Greek hen dia dyoin, this figure of speech pairs two nouns with "and" to replace a noun and adjective.
YourDictionary
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Hendiadys Definition & Meaning | YourDictionary
Medieval Latin, from Ancient Greek ἑv (hen), stem of ἑις (heis, “one”) + διά (dia, “through”) + δυοίν (dyoin, “two”) ... Find similar words to hendiadys using the buttons below.
Latin D
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Info on hendiadys? | Latin D
September 14, 2012 - Click to expand... This is true of anything risky you do in any foreign language: Cioran used to complain that when he did something odd in French, people thought it was just a mistake. Someone writing in Latin: super; someone writing in Latin and aiming to use hendiadys: yes!!!
Dickinson College Commentaries
dcc.dickinson.edu › grammar › latin › glossary
Glossary | Dickinson College Commentaries
Hendiadys (ἓν διὰ δυοῖν): the use of two nouns, with a conjunction, instead of a single modified noun.
Virginia Law Review
virginialawreview.org › wp-content › uploads › 2020 › 12 › Bray_Online.pdf pdf
HENDIADYS IN THE CONSTITUTION Samuel L. Bray* ...
liam Pickering 1827) (defining “Hendiadis” as “[a] rhetorical figure, when two noun sub- stantives are used instead of a substantive and adjective”). 70 E.g., Elisha Coles, A Dictionary, English-Latin, and Latin-English (London, John Rich-
Rephrasely
rephrasely.com › usage › hendiadys
"Unlocking Hendiadys: Enhance Your Writing with This Classical Rhetorical Device" - Rephrasely
Writers strive for clarity, emotional connection, and stylistic flair. One classical rhetorical device that can elevate your prose is hendiadys. This technique, originating from Greek and Latin, allows writers to express complex ideas in a more vivid and engaging manner.
Collins Dictionary
collinsdictionary.com › dictionary › english › hendiadys
HENDIADYS definition and meaning | Collins English Dictionary
Word originC16: from Medieval Latin, changed from Greek phrase hen dia duoin, literally: one through two
Blogger
sabidius-iii.blogspot.com › 2017 › 05 › the-use-of-hendiadys-in-latin.html
Sabidius' Classics Blogs: THE USE OF HENDIADYS IN LATIN
Hendiadys is a figure of speech, ... by a conjunction, usually 'and'. The word 'hendiadys' itself is a Latinised version of the Greek phrase 'ἓν διὰ δυοῖν' (one through two)....
Ifioque
ifioque.com › figures-of-speech › scheme › hendiadys
Definition & Examples of Hendiadys
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ThoughtCo
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Definition and Examples of Hendiadys in Rhetoric
May 11, 2025 - Hendiadys is a figure of speech in which two words joined by "and" express an idea that is more commonly expressed by an adjective and a noun.
Textkit Greek and Latin Forums
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hendiadys with οὐδέ and 1Tim 2:12 - Textkit Greek and Latin Forums
Phil Payne suggested something like: 12 διδάσκειν δὲ γυναικὶ οὐκ ἐπιτρέπω, οὐδὲ αὐθεντεῖν ἀνδρός, I do not allow a woman to teach (in combination with) exercising authority over a man. Since οὐδὲ is used to form an hendiadys in other cases this does not seem impossible.