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ἑταῖρος

hetaîros

G2083 noun

SILEX Entry

Definition

Comrade, companion, associate—denoting one who shares close fellowship or partnership, typically with a sense of belonging to the same group or undertaking joint activity. The word can refer to a fellow member of a collective body, colleague, or close associate; less frequently, it signifies a friend, though this is not its core shade.

Semantic Range

companion, fellow member, comrade-in-arms, partner, associate in a group, colleague, (rarely) friend

Root / Etymology

Derived from the Greek root ἑταιρ- (found in ἑταιρέω 'to keep company with', ἑταιρεία 'association, company, brotherhood'). The term stems from early Greek social structures denoting a fellow member of a group or retinue.

Historical & Contextual Notes

In classical Greek, ἑταῖρος referred to a member of a fellowship, companion in arms, or a group tied together by shared undertaking (famously, the 'Companions' of Alexander the Great, who formed his elite cavalry). It conveyed the sense of a formal companion, such as one joined by oath, group loyalty, or common cause, distinct from φίλος (philos), which expresses affectionate friendship. In Koine Greek, ἑταῖρος retains the sense of a close associate, often within a group context. In the New Testament, it appears rarely and can carry a neutral or even ironic tone depending on context (cf. Matthew 20:13; 22:12; 26:50), sometimes used for someone addressed in a group setting rather than in personal intimacy. English 'friend' in Bible translation may obscure the word’s original undertone of formal companionship or group membership.

Original Strong's Gloss (1890)

from (a clansman); a comrade:--fellow, friend.

Root Family

ἑταῖρος (hetaîros) — companion, associate, comrade

Root ἑταιρ- companion, associate, comrade

Word Forms

1 distinct form

SIDANCE Surface Transliteration Morphology Common SIBI-P1 SIBI-P2 Occurrences
G2083-01 ἑταῖρε etaire N VOC M SG friend Comrade Comrade 3

Occurrences in Scripture

3 occurrences

SIDANCE Reference Word Transliteration Morphology Common SIBI-P1 SIBI-P2
G2083-01 Matthew 20:13 ἑταῖρε etaire N VOC M SG friend Comrade Comrade
G2083-01 Matthew 22:12 ἑταῖρε etaire N VOC M SG friend Comrade Comrade
G2083-01 Matthew 26:50 ἑταῖρε etaire N VOC M SG friend Comrade Comrade
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