κλισία
klisía
G2828 noun
SILEX Entry
Definition
A place or arrangement for reclining, especially in the context of dining; more specifically, a group of people reclining together at a meal. In Greco-Roman dining practice, this refers to a couches or the assembly of guests who occupy them. The term can mean the act of reclining itself, the physical couch, or the dining company arranged on such couches. In extended contexts, it can denote a social grouping at a banquet or shared meal.
Semantic Range
reclining group at a meal, dining company, arrangement of couches, act of reclining together, (earlier) tent or shelter
Root / Etymology
From a derivative of κλίνω (to bend, to recline), relating to the action of reclining as was customary at banquets or formal meals in the ancient Mediterranean world. The word is built from the same root as κλίνη (couch, bed) and κλίνω (to lean, to cause to recline).
Historical & Contextual Notes
In classical and Hellenistic Greek, κλισία primarily referred to a tent or shelter, especially in military contexts, but by the Roman period and in Koine usage, it more often referred to the arrangement of reclining for meals. In Greco-Roman banquets (symposia), guests commonly reclined on couches while dining; a κλισία could refer to a single dining couch, but in literary and documentary sources from the Hellenistic and Roman periods, it more often denotes the group of people assigned to one couch—the 'company' at a meal. In the New Testament (Luke 9:14, 15), the word appears in the plural, describing the arrangement of people seated/reclining in eating groups for the feeding of the crowd. English translations often use 'company' or 'group,' but the underlying social practice involves communal reclining at a meal—reflecting a distinct Greco-Roman dining custom. Septuagint usage reflects both earlier and later meanings, but in the NT era, the primary sense concerns meal settings. Not to be confused with κλίνη (a bed or general couch), which has broader meaning.
Original Strong's Gloss (1890)
from a derivative of κλίνω; properly, reclination, i.e. (concretely and specially), a party at a meal:--company.
Root Family
κλις- (klisía) — to bend, to recline, to arrange for reclining
Word Forms
1 distinct form
| SIDANCE | Surface | Transliteration | Morphology | Common | SIBI-P1 | SIBI-P2 | Occurrences |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
G2828-01 |
κλισίας | klisias | N ACC F PL |
in groups | reclining groups | reclining groups | 1 |
Occurrences in Scripture
1 occurrence
| SIDANCE | Reference | Word | Transliteration | Morphology | Common | SIBI-P1 | SIBI-P2 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
G2828-01 |
Luke 9:14 | κλισίας | klisias | N ACC F PL |
in groups | reclining groups | reclining groups |