ἔδαφος
édaphos
G1475 noun
SILEX Entry
Definition
Fundamental surface or base upon which something rests; primarily, the ground, soil, or earth forming the physical foundation of a place or the underlying surface. By extension, in some contexts, may refer to a base as that which supports a structure or constitutes the foundation, literal or metaphorical.
Semantic Range
ground, soil, earth, base, foundation, underlying surface
Root / Etymology
Derived from the root ἑδ- (as in ἑδραῖος, 'firm, steadfast; base'), with the -αφος suffix forming an abstract or concrete noun indicating a surface or plane. Root is related to the notion of sitting, resting, or being set/fixed upon a foundation.
Historical & Contextual Notes
In classical and Hellenistic Greek, ἔδαφος regularly refers to the (literal) ground, earth, or soil, as the surface of the land, or the natural floor of the outdoors. In literary and philosophical contexts, it sometimes denotes the base or groundwork of a structure or concept, though this is rare. In the Septuagint and New Testament Greek, usage of ἔδαφος is uncommon and usually specific. In Acts 22:22, it refers concretely to the "ground" upon which outer garments were thrown—emphasizing the physical surface of a place, not a figurative foundation. Standard English translations render it as "ground" or "earth," which captures the core physical sense, but the term can bear more generalized senses in extra-biblical Greek.
Original Strong's Gloss (1890)
from the base of ἑδραῖος; a basis (bottom), i.e. the soil:--ground.
Root Family
ἑδ- (édaphos) — to sit, to rest, to base
Word Forms
1 distinct form
| SIDANCE | Surface | Transliteration | Morphology | Common | SIBI-P1 | SIBI-P2 | Occurrences |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
G1475-01 |
ἔδαφος | edaphos | N ACC N SG |
ground | the underlying ground | ground | 1 |
Occurrences in Scripture
1 occurrence
| SIDANCE | Reference | Word | Transliteration | Morphology | Common | SIBI-P1 | SIBI-P2 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
G1475-01 |
Acts 22:7 | ἔδαφος | edaphos | N ACC N SG |
ground | the underlying ground | ground |