κατάβασις (G2600) — Greek Lexicon

κατάβασις

katábasis

G2600 noun

SILEX Entry

Definition

Descent, the act of going down or moving to a lower place, either physically (as in descending from a higher place to a lower) or figuratively (as in a decline or downturn). In general usage, refers primarily to the action or process of coming down from above to below, but can also denote the physical or metaphorical slope, gradient, or pathway of descent in some contexts.

Semantic Range

descent, going down, process of descending, downward journey, decline (figurative), slope or gradient (rare, context-dependent)

Root / Etymology

From the preposition κατά (down, against) plus the verbal root of βαίνω (to go, to walk), forming the compound verb καταβαίνω (to go down, descend), from which the noun form κατάβασις is derived by nominal suffix -σις denoting action or process.

Historical & Contextual Notes

In classical Greek, κατάβασις appears from the 5th century BCE and was used for any act or process of descending, including geographical or celestial descent, such as a journey down into a valley or down to the underworld (notably in the literary motif termed 'katabasis', e.g., Odysseus or Orpheus' descent into Hades). In Hellenistic and Koine usage, including the Septuagint and New Testament, it most often refers to literal physical descent from a mountain or region, movement from a higher to lower location, or (less commonly) abstract decline. The term is less frequent than its verbal form καταβαίνω but retains this central meaning. English translations typically render the word as 'descent,' but this may not reflect the range of specific physical or metaphorical applications in Greek sources. The meaning is distinguishable from ἄνοδος (anodos, 'ascent').

Original Strong's Gloss (1890)

from καταβαίνω; a declivity:--descent.

Root Family

καταβ- (katábasis) — to go down, to descend

Root καταβ- to go down, to descend

Word Forms

1 distinct form

SIDANCE	Surface	Transliteration	Morphology	Common	SIBI-P1	SIBI-P2	Occurrences
`G2600-01`	καταβάσει	katabasei	`N DAT F SG`	descent	to descent	descent	1

Occurrences in Scripture

1 occurrence

SIDANCE	Reference	Word	Transliteration	Morphology	Common	SIBI-P1	SIBI-P2
`G2600-01`	Luke 19:37	καταβάσει	katabasei	`N DAT F SG`	descent	to descent	descent

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