μεταίρω
metaírō
G3332 verb
SILEX Entry
Definition
To move away from a place, to remove, transfer, or depart (from a location or state); in active voice, to convey or carry away; in the middle or passive, to withdraw oneself or to migrate. The primary sense is physical displacement or removal, but can also be employed metaphorically for a change of situation or condition.
Semantic Range
to remove, to transfer, to carry away, to take away, to depart, to migrate, to withdraw (oneself), to cause to change position or place
Root / Etymology
From the preposition μετά (with, after, among) and αἴρω (to lift, to take up, to carry away).
Historical & Contextual Notes
μεταίρω appears rarely in extant Greek literature, with limited but attested usage in both classical and later Greek, including technical, literary, and biblical sources. In the Septuagint, it can denote literal transplantation or removal, especially with regard to people or objects being taken from one place to another. In the New Testament, the word is extremely rare, and where it does occur, it generally refers to physical departure or relocation. The sense often includes the notion of purposeful or complete removal, beyond simple movement. English translations may simply render it as 'depart,' 'remove,' or 'take away,' but these often miss the full nuance of transfer, withdrawal, or intentional displacement captured in the Greek. It is distinct from the simpler αἴρω (to lift, take up), because the prepositional prefix μετά adds the sense of a change in position or context, not merely the act of lifting or taking.
Original Strong's Gloss (1890)
from μετά and αἴρω; to betake oneself, i.e. remove (locally):--depart.
Root Family
μεταίρω (metairō) — to move, to lift, to take away, to depart
Word Forms
1 distinct form
| SIDANCE | Surface | Transliteration | Morphology | Common | SIBI-P1 | SIBI-P2 | Occurrences |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
G3332-01 |
μετῆρεν | meteren | V AOR ACT IND 3P SG |
he departed | he removed | he departed | 2 |
Occurrences in Scripture
2 occurrences
| SIDANCE | Reference | Word | Transliteration | Morphology | Common | SIBI-P1 | SIBI-P2 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
G3332-01 |
Matthew 13:53 | μετῆρεν | meteren | V AOR ACT IND 3P SG |
he departed | he removed | he removed |
G3332-01 |
Matthew 19:1 | μετῆρεν | meteren | V AOR ACT IND 3P SG |
he departed | he removed | he departed |