tithein

Tithein is a transliteration of an Ancient Greek verb form, typically written in Greek as τίθειν or τίθειναι, meaning “to place, to put, to set.” It represents the present active infinitive of the verb τίθημι, one of the core Greek verbs used to express the act of placing or setting something in a position or state. Because transliteration from Greek varies, you may also see the form rendered as tithein or tithein in different grammars and dictionaries.

In linguistic and classical studies, tithein is important as the standard infinitive form used to discuss the verb’s semantics and morphology. The basic sense centers on placing or putting something in a location, but the range can extend to figurative uses such as establishing rules, appointing positions, or arranging circumstances. The form is frequently encountered in ancient Greek texts, where it appears in combinations and compounds built from the root τιθη-.

The term is primarily of interest in philology, grammars, and translation work rather than as an independently used lexical item in later modern languages. It serves as a reference point for understanding the behavior of τίθημι and related derivatives, and it helps explain how Greek verb forms convey both literal placement and more abstract placing or establishing actions. It is distinct from the English noun “tithe” (a tenth part) and other unrelated terms, though both share a superficial resemblance in spelling.

See also: τίθημι, Greek verb forms; Greek infinitives; Latin and Greek roots related to placing and establishing.