ἄμφοδον
ámphodon
G296 noun
SILEX Entry
Definition
A place where streets converge or cross, especially a street or space formed by intersecting roads; generally, a road or street junction — in particular, a public place or thoroughfare where two or more roads meet or cross. Used chiefly for urban street intersections, plazas, or squares.
Semantic Range
street, lane, avenue, intersection, crossroads, square, public gathering place, block, passage where roads meet or cross
Root / Etymology
From ἀμφότερος (both, on both sides) and ὁδός (road, way), denoting literally 'a road on both sides,' hence a place where roads meet or cross, i.e., an intersection or thoroughfare. The compound nature reflects the meaning of mingling or traversing of pathways.
Historical & Contextual Notes
In classical Greek, ἄμφοδον typically refers to a street or lane circling a block of buildings, similar to a ring-road or a section of suburb (see Aristophanes, Lysistrata 672). In Hellenistic and Koine Greek, especially in urban contexts, it can signify a gathering place where roads branch out, akin to a crossroads, square, or street intersection. Occurrences in the New Testament (Mark 11:4) reflect this usage, indicating a public or open area formed by converging streets, not simply a 'fork in the road.' In Roman cities and urban centers of the eastern Mediterranean, such locations often served as marketplaces or areas for social and commercial activity. Standard English translations ('where two ways meet,' 'road junction,' 'alley') often capture only part of the term's urban nuance, which includes the function of a plaza, crossing, or neighborhood street complex.
Original Strong's Gloss (1890)
from the base of ἀμφότερος and ὁδός; a fork in the road:--where two ways meet.
Root Family
ἄμφοδον (amphodon) — on both sides, road, intersection, crossroads
Word Forms
1 distinct form
| SIDANCE | Surface | Transliteration | Morphology | Common | SIBI-P1 | SIBI-P2 | Occurrences |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
G296-01 |
ἀμφόδου | amphodou | N GEN N SG |
street | of an intersection | 1 |
Occurrences in Scripture
1 occurrence
| SIDANCE | Reference | Word | Transliteration | Morphology | Common | SIBI-P1 | SIBI-P2 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
G296-01 |
Mark 11:4 | ἀμφόδου | amphodou | N GEN N SG |
street | of an intersection |