Does "eureka" really mean "I found it"?

Question

It seems that it is a Greek word, where "eu-" means "good". So, it would seem that "eureka" means "good reka", whatever that means. If "eureka" really does mean, "I found it", what language does it come from?

Answer 1

While the prefix eu- does mean good in Greek, in this case it is just part of the stem and not a prefix. It is the perfect tense, meaning "I have found", and the "it" is understood, so "I have found it" is the actual translation.

Here is an article that explains how it is attributed to Archimedes:
http://www.sciam.com/article.cfm?articleID=5F1935E9-E7F2-99DF-3F1D1235AF1D2CD1

And see here:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Eureka_(word)

Answer 2

OK, it sounds like you want the (semi) technical explanation of two little points of ancient Greek grammar. First, you're right that "Eu" as a prefix means good, but "eureka" in Greek does not start with "eu", it starts with "heu". That "h" is called a "rough breathing" and two are written the same except the latter has a little thing that looks like a comma that faces right instead of left. "Heu" is not a prefix at all, but part of the verb stem.

Second, Greek verb forms are nightmares for any Greek student because there are non-trivial changes that occur between tenses, especially when the present tense is involved. So, "Eureka" comes from "heúréka," which is the 1st person singular perfect form of the verb "heurískein", meaning "to find." We get our English word "heuristic" from the infinitive form of this verb.

So, although "I found it" is a pretty close translation, "I have found" is more exact. I like "good reka" though. "Hey, man, find any good reka on your trip?" I have to find a place to use that. :-)

Answer 3

Eureka (or Heureka) is a well-known Greek phrase that is associated with a Greek mathematician of antiquity named Archimedes. It's associated with a story that involves a suspicious King Heiros of Syracuse, a gold crown and an important discovery that became known as Archimedes' Principle.

Answer 4

yes it means "i found it" and it is Greek.
the "eu" (ef) means good but this word is the past tense of the verb ureka (vrika) which means "find" and at the past tense an "e" is been added eureka (evrika)

Answer 5

Yes, it means "I found it", from the (ancient) Greek verb heuriskein - to find.

Answer 6

It doesn't mean "I found it" It means something more along the lines of "I have discovered the solution" People have made it seem as if it means I found it.

Answer 7

yes

Answer 8

yes

Answer 9

I don't know. I have not found it yet.

Answer 10

no its a gay tv show