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μεγιστᾶνες

megistânes

G3175 noun

SILEX Entry

Definition

Principal men of high status, very important officials or nobles. The term designates individuals who possess notable power, supremacy, or prominence within a court or governing body. In various contexts, it refers to persons of the highest rank, such as leading princes, high-ranking courtiers, or notable members of the aristocracy or nobility.

Semantic Range

nobles, grandees, high officials, chief men, principal courtiers, aristocrats, notables, great men

Root / Etymology

Derived from the superlative adjective μέγιστος ('greatest'), from the root μέγας ('great'), with the plural masculine noun suffix -ανες. The formation signifies a group of those who are 'the greatest' or most important.

Historical & Contextual Notes

In classical Greek, μεγιστάνες refers to the 'great ones'—that is, nobles, chief men, or grandees, often in the context of royal courts or principal assemblies. Its use in Hellenistic and Koine texts, including the Septuagint (e.g., Daniel 1:3, 2:48), generally follows this sense, designating leading courtiers or high officials among the Babylonian or Persian ruling classes. In the New Testament (e.g., Mark 6:21), it refers to the principal men or notables at a royal banquet. The term highlights social rank or courtly authority and does not inherently indicate ethnicity or specific political allegiance—its usage is contextual and applies according to the society described. Standard English translations often use 'nobles,' 'dignitaries,' or 'great men,' but these may obscure the word's specific connotation as those attached to courts or official functions. The term does not have a direct equivalent in contemporary English social or governmental structures. There is a contrast with ἄρχοντες ('rulers'), a broader term for those in positions of authority, while μεγιστάνες points more particularly to those of especially high or preeminent standing, often in relation to a royal person or context.

Original Strong's Gloss (1890)

plural from μέγιστος; grandees:--great men, lords.

Root Family

μεγιστᾶνες (megistanes) — greatest, most important, preeminent

Root μεγιστ- greatest, most important, preeminent

Word Forms

2 distinct forms

SIDANCE Surface Transliteration Morphology Common SIBI-P1 SIBI-P2 Occurrences
G3175-01 μεγιστᾶνες megistanes N NOM M PL great men preeminent nobles great men 2
G3175-02 μεγιστᾶσιν megistasin N DAT M PL lords to the preeminent nobles preeminent nobles 1

Occurrences in Scripture

3 occurrences

SIDANCE Reference Word Transliteration Morphology Common SIBI-P1 SIBI-P2
G3175-02 Mark 6:21 μεγιστᾶσιν megistasin N DAT M PL lords to the preeminent nobles preeminent nobles
G3175-01 Revelation 6:15 μεγιστᾶνες megistanes N NOM M PL great men preeminent nobles preeminent nobles
G3175-01 Revelation 18:23 μεγιστᾶνες megistanes N NOM M PL great men preeminent nobles great men
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