θαυμάσιος

thaumásios

G2297 substantive adjective

SILEX Entry

Definition

Wondrous, marvelous, marked by causing astonishment or admiration; describing something that inspires awe, wonder, or amazement, often by virtue of being extraordinary, remarkable, or surpassing ordinary experience. Used adjectivally of things or events that evoke wonder, and occasionally as a substantive (especially in the neuter form) to denote 'something wonderful' or 'a marvelous event.' In certain contexts may refer to a miraculous or supernatural act, but its core sense emphasizes the quality of evoking wonder rather than technical categories of miracle.

Semantic Range

wondrous, marvelous, remarkable, causing astonishment, wonderful thing, marvel (as a noun), amazing, miraculous (in contexts emphasizing the extraordinary)

Root / Etymology

Derived from θαῦμα (wonder, marvel, an astonishing thing, often something that prompts awe or amazement), with the adjectival suffix -ιος forming an adjective indicating 'worthy of thaumā' (wonder), i.e., causing wonder or marvel.

Historical & Contextual Notes

θαυμάσιος appears infrequently in the Septuagint and Greek literature, generally emphasizing the impression made on observers rather than the cause itself. It can refer to extraordinary phenomena, events, or objects that arouse admiration, whether positive (inspiring awe and reverence) or negative (inspiring perplexity or fear). In the Septuagint, often refers to the wondrous acts of God (such as deliverance or creation), but the focus remains on their marvelous quality. In Hellenistic and Koine texts, usage broadens to encompass anything exceptionally striking or unexpected, not solely supernatural acts. English translations sometimes render the neuter as 'wonder' or 'wonderful thing,' but 'miracle' reflects later interpretive tradition more than the core Greek meaning. The term is closely related to θαῦμα and θαυμάζω ('to marvel at, to be amazed'), and can overlap with terms such as τεράς (portent, sign), though θαυμάσιος more often highlights subjective wonder than objective supernatural occurrence.

Original Strong's Gloss (1890)

from θαῦμα; wondrous, i.e. (neuter as noun) a miracle:--wonderful thing.

Root Family

θαυμάσιος (thaumasios) — wondrous, marvelous, causing astonishment, inspiring wonder

Root θαυμ- to marvel, to wonder, to be amazed

Word Forms

1 distinct form

SIDANCE Surface Transliteration Morphology Common SIBI-P1 SIBI-P2 Occurrences
G2297-01 θαυμάσια thaumasia ADJ.S ACC N PL wonderful things wondrous things wondrous things 1

Occurrences in Scripture

1 occurrence

SIDANCE Reference Word Transliteration Morphology Common SIBI-P1 SIBI-P2
G2297-01 Matthew 21:15 θαυμάσια thaumasia ADJ.S ACC N PL wonderful things wondrous things wondrous things