κυλιόω
kylióō
G2947 verb
SILEX Entry
Definition
To roll or cause to roll around; to move (oneself or an object) in a rolling, revolving, or tumbling motion. In particular contexts, the word can depict the physical act of rolling the body (e.g., an animal 'wallowing') or the movement of objects such as stones. Extended use may involve the sense of being tossed about or moving aimlessly in a circular or rolling manner.
Semantic Range
to roll (oneself or something), to be rolled, to wallow (as in animals), to sprawl, to tumble, to move in a revolving motion, to roll about aimlessly
Root / Etymology
Derived from the root κυλ- (relating to rolling or revolving), possibly connected to κῦμα ('wave'), which itself relates to rolling motion; related to the verb κυλίω ('to roll') and cognate with words like κύκλος ('circle'), stressing a circular or revolving movement.
Historical & Contextual Notes
κυλιόω is rare in literary Greek, but attested from the classical period onward. In the Koine period, including in the Septuagint and New Testament, it often describes the act of rolling about on the ground, sometimes with connotations of humiliation or ritual mourning (as in the act of wallowing in dust or ashes). LXX and Hellenistic Greek works sometimes use κυλιόω for animals wallowing, or for persons engaging in acts of prostration or distress. Unlike other Greek verbs for movement, κυλιόω stresses the rolling or tumbling motion, intransitively or transitively. The sense of 'wallow' in English translations, especially in reference to animals (e.g., swine wallowing in mud), matches one of its primary uses, but the word is broader, encompassing any rolling or sprawling motion, literal or figurative. In poetic or dramatic texts, it may denote rolling in consequence of emotional turmoil, defeat, or ceremonial lament. Not frequently used in technical or scientific Greek. Distinguished from verbs like περιτρέχω ('to run around'), as κυλιόω does not denote speed or purposive movement, but rather circular rotation or aimless motion.
Original Strong's Gloss (1890)
from the base of κῦμα (through the idea of circularity; compare κύκλῳ, εἱλίσσω); to roll about:--wallow.
Root Family
κυλιόω (kylioō) — to roll, to revolve, to tumble
Word Forms
1 distinct form
| SIDANCE | Surface | Transliteration | Morphology | Common | SIBI-P1 | SIBI-P2 | Occurrences |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
G2947-01 |
ἐκυλίετο | ekulieto | V IMPF MID IND 3P SG |
rolled | was rolling about | was rolling about | 1 |
Occurrences in Scripture
1 occurrence
| SIDANCE | Reference | Word | Transliteration | Morphology | Common | SIBI-P1 | SIBI-P2 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
G2947-01 |
Mark 9:20 | ἐκυλίετο | ekulieto | V IMPF MID IND 3P SG |
rolled | was rolling about | was rolling about |