μάκελλον
mákellon
G3111 noun
SILEX Entry
Definition
A marketplace or shop specifically for selling meat, a meat market; by extension, a provision market or stall where fresh food (especially animal products) is available for purchase. In some contexts, refers specifically to the area in a city designated for buying meat, often associated with public markets or 'shambles'.
Semantic Range
meat market, butcher's stall, shop for provisions (especially meat), shambles (archaic), public market hall specializing in meat or fresh food
Root / Etymology
Loanword from Latin 'macellum', which denotes a market building in Roman cities specializing in the sale of meat and provisions. Entered Greek via cultural contact in the Hellenistic and Roman periods.
Historical & Contextual Notes
μάκελλον appears rarely in extant Greek literature, with its New Testament usage reflecting contemporary Roman urban life. In Roman cities, a 'macellum' was a centralized food market, often with sections for butchers and other food stalls. In the New Testament (e.g., 1 Corinthians 10:25), the term refers to the local meat market in Corinth where residents—including early followers of Jesus—might purchase meat, raising questions about ritual purity due to potential association with idol offerings. The term is absent from the Septuagint. English translations such as 'shambles' (older) or 'meat market' (modern) render the term, though 'shambles' is now archaic. μάκελλον does not have the broader meaning of general marketplace (ἀγορά), being limited to contexts involving fresh provisions, especially meat. Use of the term reflects Greco-Roman urban settings rather than traditional Israelite or Judean culture.
Original Strong's Gloss (1890)
of Latin origin (macellum); a butcher's stall, meat market or provision-shop:--shambles.
Root Family
μάκελλον (makellon) — meat market, provision-shop, butcher's stall
Word Forms
1 distinct form
| SIDANCE | Surface | Transliteration | Morphology | Common | SIBI-P1 | SIBI-P2 | Occurrences |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
G3111-01 |
μακέλλῳ | makello | N DAT N SG |
the meat market | in a meat market | meat market | 1 |
Occurrences in Scripture
1 occurrence
| SIDANCE | Reference | Word | Transliteration | Morphology | Common | SIBI-P1 | SIBI-P2 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
G3111-01 |
1 Corinthians 10:25 | μακέλλῳ | makello | N DAT N SG |
the meat market | in a meat market | meat market |