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λοίδορος

loídoros

G3060 noun

SILEX Entry

Definition

A person who uses abusive, insulting, or reproachful language; one who reviles or defames others, especially through verbal insults or slander. The term applies primarily to those who heap verbal abuse or harsh accusations upon others, often in a public or contentious context. The word can carry nuances of being slanderous, mocking, or otherwise verbally aggressive.

Semantic Range

reviler, abusive person, one who heaps insults, one who reproaches, verbal abuser, slanderer, railer

Root / Etymology

From the root λοιδέω (loidéō, 'to revile, abuse verbally') plus the agentive suffix -ρος (-ros), indicating a person who performs the action. Thus, λοίδορος means 'one who reviles.' No clear connection with a term meaning 'mischief' as cited in older glosses.

Historical & Contextual Notes

In classical Greek, λοίδορος is used to describe a verbally insolent person, an abuser or insulter, and the term appears in various literary sources with this general sense. In Hellenistic and Koine contexts, including the Septuagint and New Testament, its meaning remains consistently negative and denotes someone characterized by abusive verbal behavior or reviling speech. In the New Testament (1 Corinthians 5:11, 6:10), λοίδορος is listed among socially unacceptable behaviors, often translated as 'reviler' or 'abusive person.' These English translations capture the gist, but the Greek term specifically emphasizes publicly shaming or insulting others. Compared to similar terms (e.g., βλάσφημος, 'blasphemer; slanderer'), λοίδορος focuses more on personal insult or reproach than on religious or legal defamation. The derogatory aspect is central—an individual marked by scornful, mocking, or harsh speech against others. The term is rare and strongly pejorative in both secular and biblical literature.

Original Strong's Gloss (1890)

from (mischief); abusive, i.e. a blackguard:--railer, reviler.

Root Family

λοίδορος (loidoros) — to abuse, to insult, to revile

Root λοιδ- to abuse, to insult, to revile

Word Forms

2 distinct forms

SIDANCE Surface Transliteration Morphology Common SIBI-P1 SIBI-P2 Occurrences
G3060-02 λοίδορος loidoros N NOM M SG reviler reviler reviler 1
G3060-01 λοίδοροι loidoroi N NOM M PL revilers verbal abusers verbal abusers 1

Occurrences in Scripture

2 occurrences

SIDANCE Reference Word Transliteration Morphology Common SIBI-P1 SIBI-P2
G3060-02 1 Corinthians 5:11 λοίδορος loidoros N NOM M SG reviler reviler reviler
G3060-01 1 Corinthians 6:10 λοίδοροι loidoroi N NOM M PL revilers verbal abusers verbal abusers
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