καῦμα (G2738) — Greek Lexicon

καῦμα

kaûma

G2738 noun

SILEX Entry

Definition

Primary meaning: heat, the condition or experience of being hot due to exposure to fire, sun, or burning. The term can refer concretely to physical burning or the result of burning (i.e., a burn), as well as abstractly to intense heat, fire, or any source of radiating warmth or discomfort caused by heat. In literary and metaphorical contexts, it may also denote the experience of suffering or consuming heat.

Semantic Range

burning, heat, the result of burning or exposure to heat, a burned spot, scorching, the sensation or experience of hotness; (figuratively) consuming or afflicting heat (e.g., a plague or suffering)

Root / Etymology

From the Greek root καίω (kaíō), meaning 'to burn' or 'set on fire,' with the noun-forming suffix -μα (-ma) creating a noun indicating result, action, or effect of burning. καῦμα directly denotes 'that which is burnt' or 'a burning, heat.'

Historical & Contextual Notes

In classical Greek, καῦμα is attested from at least the 5th century BCE (e.g., in Hippocrates, Aristotle) with the sense of 'burning heat'—especially as it relates to the sun or to feverish heat in medical literature. In Hellenistic and Koine Greek, including the Septuagint and the New Testament (e.g., Revelation 7:16, 16:9), the term commonly denotes oppressive heat, often in reference to the sun's intensity or to fiery plagues. It may refer to both literal physical heat and, more abstractly, experiences of burning or suffering. English translations often render it as 'heat' or 'scorching heat,' sometimes obscuring the nuance that the word can denote both a single event of burning (a burn) or the ongoing state/effect of heat. It does not inherently carry the medical sense of a wound, unless context demands it; more often it parallels terms denoting 'fiery heat' or 'scorching.' Related nouns like πυρά (pyra, 'fire, burning pile') and φλόξ (phlox, 'flame') denote sources or states of burning, but καῦμα focuses specifically on the radiating or experienced heat itself. In the Septuagint, it is used for Hebrew terms like חָרֵב (charev, 'parched/dried'), emphasizing environmental or destructive heat.

Original Strong's Gloss (1890)

from καίω; properly, a burn (concretely), but used (abstractly) of a glow:--heat.

Root Family

καιω- (katakaíō) — to burn, to consume by fire

Root καιω- to burn, to kindle, to set on fire

Strong's	Lemma	SIBI-P1
G2618	κατακαίω	will be completely burned down

Word Forms

1 distinct form

SIDANCE	Surface	Transliteration	Morphology	Common	SIBI-P1	SIBI-P2	Occurrences
`G2738-01`	καῦμα	kauma	`N NOM N SG`	heat	burning heat	burning heat	2

Occurrences in Scripture

2 occurrences

SIDANCE	Reference	Word	Transliteration	Morphology	Common	SIBI-P1	SIBI-P2
`G2738-01`	Revelation 7:16	καῦμα	kauma	`N NOM N SG`	heat	burning heat	burning heat
`G2738-01`	Revelation 16:9	καῦμα	kauma	`N ACC N SG`	heat	burning heat	burning heat

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