κωμόπολις
kōmópolis
G2969 noun
SILEX Entry
Definition
A settlement larger than a village (κώμη) but smaller than a major city (πόλις), a 'town,' especially one lacking fortifications, i.e., an unwalled urban locality distinguished both from rural villages and walled urban centers. Used to denote a minor urban settlement or township in geographic or administrative contexts. In some sources, the term may refer specifically to a formal administrative unit, especially in Hellenistic and Roman Egypt.
Semantic Range
town, unwalled town, minor urban settlement, township, administrative locality, intermediate settlement between village and city
Root / Etymology
From κώμη ('village' or rural settlement) and πόλις ('city'); a compound indicating a settlement intermediate between a village and a city.
Historical & Contextual Notes
The term κωμόπολις is relatively rare in Greek literature, found mainly in administrative, geographical, and some narrative contexts, especially in writers concerned with local government or where gradations of urbanization are described. The term is documented in Hellenistic and Roman period papyri, notably in Egypt, where settlements were classified according to size and legal status. In the New Testament (Mark 1:38), it appears alongside 'towns' and 'villages,' reflecting regional settlement patterns. The word does not denote a city with full civic or political status (πόλις) but refers to a local center without walls or formal city rights. English translations typically use 'town,' but this can obscure the administrative and legal nuances present in Greek usage. Context determines whether the focus is on size, legal status, or absence of fortifications. There is no direct equivalent for the nuanced gradation presented by Greek administrative terminology in most modern languages.
Original Strong's Gloss (1890)
from κώμη and πόλις; an unwalled city:--town.
Root Family
κωμ-, πολ- (kōmópolis) — village, city, settlement
Word Forms
1 distinct form
| SIDANCE | Surface | Transliteration | Morphology | Common | SIBI-P1 | SIBI-P2 | Occurrences |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
G2969-01 |
κωμοπόλεις | komopoleis | N ACC F PL |
villages | unwalled towns | towns | 1 |
Occurrences in Scripture
1 occurrence
| SIDANCE | Reference | Word | Transliteration | Morphology | Common | SIBI-P1 | SIBI-P2 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
G2969-01 |
Mark 1:38 | κωμοπόλεις | komopoleis | N ACC F PL |
villages | unwalled towns | towns |