κολλούριον
kolloúrion
G2854 noun
SILEX Entry
Definition
A small roll or cake, especially one made from a paste-like substance; in a medical context, a preparation applied to the eyes, i.e., an eye salve or ointment. The term refers specifically to a pharmaceutical preparation for treating eye conditions, often in the form of a compressed tablet or paste that is dissolved or mixed for application.
Semantic Range
small cake, roll, a medical preparation for the eyes (eye salve, ointment), pharmaceutical paste or plaster
Root / Etymology
From κολλ- (to glue, stick, bind) with the diminutive ending -ούριον, indicating a small or diminutive form. Ancient medical terminology relates it to small adhesive cakes or preparations. Cognate with κολλώδης (glutinous), itself from κόλλα (glue, paste).
Historical & Contextual Notes
In classical and Hellenistic medical literature, κολλούριον commonly refers to a medicated eye salve or ointment, used for treating eye ailments. Its root sense as 'little cake' is retained in the shape of the preparation; ancient physicians would form powders into small cakes for easy storage and later use as an eye salve. In early Roman and Greek pharmacology (e.g., Dioscorides), the term appears as a technical word for ophthalmic medicine. In the New Testament—specifically in Revelation 3:18—the term is used metaphorically to refer to spiritual perception, referencing the well-known medical products of cities like Laodicea. English translations often render the term as 'eye salve,' but this does not capture the technical specificity or physical form implied.
Original Strong's Gloss (1890)
neuter of a presumed derivative of (a cake; prob akin to the base of κολλάω); properly, a poultice (as made of or in the form of crackers), i.e. (by analogy) a plaster:-- eyesalve.
Root Family
κολλ- (kolláō) — to glue, to stick, to attach
Word Forms
1 distinct form
| SIDANCE | Surface | Transliteration | Morphology | Common | SIBI-P1 | SIBI-P2 | Occurrences |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
G2854-01 |
κολλούριον | kollourion | N ACC N SG |
eye-salve | an adhesive eye-salve cake | eye salve | 1 |
Occurrences in Scripture
1 occurrence
| SIDANCE | Reference | Word | Transliteration | Morphology | Common | SIBI-P1 | SIBI-P2 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
G2854-01 |
Revelation 3:18 | κολλούριον | kollourion | N ACC N SG |
eye-salve | an adhesive eye-salve cake | eye salve |