4.20 The following verbs are formed in the same way as δείκνυμι: A present tense marker, –νυ-, is added to the VERB STEM to create a PRESENT TENSE STEM. To this stem are then added PERSONAL ENDINGS.
Note: An acute accent is placed on the penult of ἀπόλλυς. Based upon the RECESSIVE ACCENT rules for verbs, is the upsilon long or short?
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This verb is also formed in the same way as δείκνυμι, though with some slight modifications. The verb stem of ἀπόλλυμι is actually ολ-, meaning kill, destroy. When the present tense marker –νυ– is added, the result should be ολνυ-. In practice, however, the sound combination –λν– undergoes a regular sound change to –λλ– in Greek. The result is a present tense stem that becomes ολλυ-.
By the Classical period, Greek tended to add a prefix to this stem. The prefix here is ἀπό, meaning away. When added to the stem ολλυ-, the verb expresses something like the English kill off. The result is a present tense stem that looks (and sounds) like this: ἀπολλυ– = kill, destroy.