καταμόνας
katamónas
G2651
SILEX Entry
Definition
Adverb expressing the sense of being alone, separately, or in isolation, typically used to describe an action performed apart from others or in a solitary manner. The primary meaning is 'separately' or 'by oneself,' with nuances depending on context such as 'apart,' 'in isolation,' or 'without others present.'
Semantic Range
separately, alone, privately, by oneself, apart, in isolation, without others
Root / Etymology
Compounded from the preposition κατά (according to, down, by) and μόνος (alone, only). The form is adverbial, originating as a phrase meaning 'according to solitary places' but used as an adverb meaning 'separately.'
Historical & Contextual Notes
καταμόνας is rare, appearing only once in the New Testament (Mark 4:34), where it describes Jesus explaining things privately to his disciples apart from the crowds. It is formed after a common Greek construction of κατά with a plural accusative noun (here, μόνας is the accusative plural feminine of μόνος), originally implying 'in relation to individual or separate spaces' or 'one at a time.' In Hellenistic Greek, such adverbial compounds often lose concrete spatial force and simply signify performing something 'in isolation' or 'separately.' The English translation 'alone' captures the functional sense, but the nuance may imply not necessarily solitude but the lack of wider company. The related adjective μόνος means 'alone, only,' and the construction is paralleled by similar adverbial forms in other Koine writers. Standard translations may render it 'alone,' 'privately,' or 'separately,' each fitting the context though 'privately' emphasizes personal or individual attention.
Original Strong's Gloss (1890)
from κατά and accusative case plural feminine of μόνος (with χώρα implied); according to sole places, i.e. (adverbially) separately:--alone.
Word Forms
0 distinct forms
No word forms found for this Strong's number.
Occurrences in Scripture
0 occurrences
No occurrences found.