βοῤῥᾶς
borrhâs
G1005 noun
SILEX Entry
Definition
A wind or direction corresponding to 'north'; more specifically, the north wind or the northern point of the compass in Greek thought. The term references both the cardinal direction and the atmospheric phenomenon, i.e., the north wind, which was significant in Mediterranean geographical and meteorological understanding. In some contexts, it simply denotes 'the north' as a region or direction.
Semantic Range
north wind, north (direction), northern point or region
Root / Etymology
etymology uncertain. Possibly pre-Greek or borrowed from an Anatolian language, reflecting ancient Mediterranean wind terminology. Not directly traceable to a known Greek verbal root.
Historical & Contextual Notes
βοῤῥᾶς is a term with limited attestation outside later classical and Hellenistic Greek, where the cardinal winds were named and personified (e.g., Boreas, god of the north wind). The word is used literally for the north wind, which in Greek culture was associated with coldness and storminess, and by extension, sometimes serves to indicate the direction 'north.' In the Septuagint and New Testament, its usage is occasionally geographical, but most frequently refers to the wind. Unlike ἄνεμος (wind in general), βοῤῥᾶς specifically denotes wind from the north. Standard English translations generally read it as 'north' or 'north wind' but do not always make explicit the culturally specific associations the term would evoke for ancient readers.
Original Strong's Gloss (1890)
of uncertain derivation; the north (properly, wind):--north.
Root Family
βοῤῥᾶς (borrhas) — north wind, north
Word Forms
1 distinct form
| SIDANCE | Surface | Transliteration | Morphology | Common | SIBI-P1 | SIBI-P2 | Occurrences |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
G1005-01 |
βορρᾶ | borra | N GEN M SG |
north | of the north | north | 2 |
Occurrences in Scripture
2 occurrences
| SIDANCE | Reference | Word | Transliteration | Morphology | Common | SIBI-P1 | SIBI-P2 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
G1005-01 |
Luke 13:29 | βορρᾶ | borra | N GEN M SG |
north | of the north | north |
G1005-01 |
Revelation 21:13 | βορρᾶ | borra | N GEN M SG |
the north | of the north | the north |