ἔνδυμα
éndyma
G1742 noun
SILEX Entry
Definition
Clothing, garment, typically an article of attire worn on the body. The term may denote a specific garment such as a robe, but generally refers to apparel or dress. In various contexts, it may imply both everyday clothing and special or formal garments, including festive dress or wedding attire.
Semantic Range
clothing, garment, article of attire, dress, outerwear, festive clothing, wedding garment, apparel
Root / Etymology
From ἐνδύω (to put on, clothe oneself), formed with the suffix -μα indicating the result of an action; thus, ἔνδυμα is properly 'that which is put on.'
Historical & Contextual Notes
ἔνδυμα is found in Koine Greek texts, including the Septuagint and the New Testament, as a general term for clothing. In the Septuagint, it often translates Hebrew terms such as בֶּגֶד (beged, garment/clothing). In the New Testament, it can refer to both ordinary clothing (e.g., Matthew 11:8, describing soft or fine garments) and special attire, such as a wedding garment (Matthew 22:11–12). The term is relatively neutral, lacking the specificity of other Greek words like χιτών (chitōn, tunic, the basic undergarment) or ἱμάτιον (himation, outer cloak/mantle). Classical usage often overlaps with other generic terms for clothing, though ἔνδυμα is somewhat more common in Koine and Hellenistic literature. English Bible translations often render it as 'garment,' 'clothing,' or occasionally 'raiment,' but these may not always communicate the word's degree of generality or, in context, its occasional use for festive or formal attire. Its core sense is that of any article of apparel, rather than a particular type of garment.
Translation Consistency
'Garment' matches the dominant English rendering (7 of 8 occurrences), is a natural, specific term for an article of clothing, and comfortably covers the range from ordinary apparel to special/wedding robes. As a base word it can be inflected to plurals or modified as needed.
Original Strong's Gloss (1890)
from ἐνδύω; apparel (especially the outer robe):--clothing, garment, raiment.
Root Family
ἔνδυμα (endyma) — clothing, garment, apparel, dress, that which is put on
Word Forms
3 distinct forms
| SIDANCE | Surface | Transliteration | Morphology | Common | SIBI-P1 | SIBI-P2 | Occurrences |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
G1742-01 |
ἔνδυμα | enduma | N ACC N SG |
garment | a garment | a garment | 4 |
G1742-03 |
ἐνδύματος | endumatos | N GEN N SG |
clothing | of a garment | garment | 3 |
G1742-02 |
ἐνδύμασι | endumasi | N DAT N PL |
clothing | with garments | garments | 1 |
Occurrences in Scripture
8 occurrences
| SIDANCE | Reference | Word | Transliteration | Morphology | Common | SIBI-P1 | SIBI-P2 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
G1742-01 |
Matthew 3:4 | ἔνδυμα | enduma | N ACC N SG |
garment | a garment | garment |
G1742-03 |
Matthew 6:25 | ἐνδύματος | endumatos | N GEN N SG |
clothing | of a garment | garment |
G1742-03 |
Matthew 6:28 | ἐνδύματος | endumatos | N GEN N SG |
clothing | of a garment | garment |
G1742-02 |
Matthew 7:15 | ἐνδύμασι | endumasi | N DAT N PL |
clothing | with garments | garments |
G1742-01 |
Matthew 22:11 | ἔνδυμα | enduma | N ACC N SG |
garment | a garment | a garment |
G1742-01 |
Matthew 22:12 | ἔνδυμα | enduma | N ACC N SG |
garment | a garment | a garment |
G1742-01 |
Matthew 28:3 | ἔνδυμα | enduma | N NOM N SG |
clothing | a garment | garment |
G1742-03 |
Luke 12:23 | ἐνδύματος | endumatos | N GEN N SG |
clothing | of a garment | garment |