Κανᾶ
Kanâ
G2580 noun
SILEX Entry
Definition
Proper noun. Refers to Cana, a village or small town in Galilee mentioned in the New Testament as the site of notable events. The primary referent is a geographic location, with its significance drawn from its setting and the events associated with it in the narratives. The name does not carry broader symbolic meaning in Greek; its function is referential to a specific place.
Semantic Range
a town or village in Galilee, geographic locality, proper noun; no figurative usages
Root / Etymology
Derived from the Hebrew קָנָה (Qānā), which possibly means 'reed' or 'place of reeds'; used as a toponym. Hebrew origin, adapted into Greek as a loanword for a locative name.
Historical & Contextual Notes
Κανᾶ occurs only as a place name in the New Testament (notably John 2:1, 4:46, and 21:2), identified as Cana of Galilee. Its etymological root points to a possible topographic feature (e.g., 'reed-filled place') but in usage serves strictly as a geographic designation. There is little to no evidence in wider Koine literature for symbolic or metaphorical uses. English translations simply transliterate the name as 'Cana.' The place is notable in the New Testament for the narrative of the wedding at Cana, but the Greek word itself does not acquire additional semantic nuance beyond place identification. In the Septuagint, similar-sounding Hebrew place names (Qanah or related forms) are also rendered with Greek transliterations. Standard renderings as a place name do not communicate a specific ethnic, religious, or political identity in Koine Greek.
Original Strong's Gloss (1890)
of Hebrew origin (compare קָנָה); Cana, a place in Palestine:--Cana.
Root Family
Κανᾶ (Kanâ) — place name, Cana
Word Forms
1 distinct form
| SIDANCE | Surface | Transliteration | Morphology | Common | SIBI-P1 | SIBI-P2 | Occurrences |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
G2580-01 |
Κανὰ | kana | N DAT F SG |
Cana | to Cana | Kana | 4 |
Occurrences in Scripture
4 occurrences
| SIDANCE | Reference | Word | Transliteration | Morphology | Common | SIBI-P1 | SIBI-P2 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
G2580-01 |
John 2:1 | Κανὰ | kana | N DAT F SG |
Cana | to Cana | Kana |
G2580-01 |
John 2:11 | Κανὰ | kana | N DAT F SG |
Cana | to Cana | Kana |
G2580-01 |
John 4:46 | Κανὰ | kana | N ACC F SG |
Cana | to Cana | Kana |
G2580-01 |
John 21:2 | Κανὰ | kana | N GEN F SG |
Cana | to Cana | Kana |