← G3427 G3429 →

μοιχαλίς

moichalís

G3428 noun

SILEX Entry

Definition

A woman who commits adultery; specifically, a female who engages in a sexual relationship with someone other than her spouse, violating marital fidelity. In extended or figurative usage, a term for unfaithfulness more generally, especially in relation to breaches of covenant or exclusive loyalty (such as devotion to another deity or betraying a community bond).

Semantic Range

adulteress (female who commits adultery), a woman guilty of marital infidelity, one betraying exclusive loyalty (figurative or metaphorical unfaithfulness), group described as unfaithful (collective, metaphorical)

Root / Etymology

From μοιχός ('adulterer, one who commits adultery'), with the feminine suffix -αλίς, forming a noun denoting a female who commits adultery. No clear indication the suffix’s form is independently productive outside this word in Koine; possibly a late or specialized development.

Historical & Contextual Notes

In classical Greek, adultery (μοιχεία) was a serious social and legal offense, with clear distinctions between male (μοιχός) and female (μοιχαλής/μοιχαλὶς) offenders. The feminine μοιχαλὶς is less common in classical literature than the masculine μοιχός, reflecting cultural emphases on women's marital fidelity. In the Septuagint and New Testament, μοιχαλὶς regularly appears in both literal and figurative senses. Figuratively, μοιχαλὶς (often paired with λαός, 'people') metaphorically denotes collective faithlessness toward the God of Israel, equivalent to spiritual adultery, echoing prophetic traditions where covenant unfaithfulness is depicted as marital infidelity. Most English translations render μοιχαλὶς as 'adulteress' in literal contexts, but sometimes under-translate the figurative sense when used for groups. The term does not refer to a general sexual ‘sinner,’ but specifically to one violating exclusive relational obligation.

Translation Consistency

primary "adulteress" 6 occurrences

μoιχαλίς is specifically a female who commits adultery; the noun 'adulteress' is the natural, common English equivalent and fits both literal and figurative uses (unfaithful woman or group described as unfaithful). Choosing the noun keeps forms consistent (singular/plural/adjectival contexts can be handled by the SIBI inflection system) and reflects the typical sense in the SILEX range.

Alternatives (1 occurrence):
"adulterous" (1x)

Original Strong's Gloss (1890)

a prolonged form of the feminine of μοιχός; an adulteress (literally or figuratively):--adulteress(-ous, -y).

Root Family

μοιχαλίς (moichalis) — adulteress, female sexual unfaithfulness, covenant betrayal

Root μοιχ- to commit adultery, to be sexually unfaithful

Word Forms

5 distinct forms

SIDANCE Surface Transliteration Morphology Common SIBI-P1 SIBI-P2 Occurrences
G3428-05 μοιχαλὶς moichalis ADJ.A NOM F SG adulterous adulterous woman adulteress 3
G3428-04 μοιχαλίδος moichalidos N GEN F SG of adultery of an adulteress of an adulteress 1
G3428-02 μοιχαλίδες moichalides N VOC F PL Adulteresses Adulteresses! Adulteresses 1
G3428-03 μοιχαλίδι moichalidi ADJ.R DAT F SG adulterous to an adulteress adulterous 1
G3428-01 μοιχαλίδα moichalida N ACC F SG an adulteress an adulteress an adulteress 1

Occurrences in Scripture

7 occurrences

SIDANCE Reference Word Transliteration Morphology Common SIBI-P1 SIBI-P2
G3428-05 Matthew 12:39 μοιχαλὶς moichalis ADJ.A NOM F SG adulterous adulterous woman adulteress
G3428-05 Matthew 16:4 μοιχαλὶς moichalis ADJ.A NOM F SG adulterous adulterous woman adulteress
G3428-03 Mark 8:38 μοιχαλίδι moichalidi ADJ.R DAT F SG adulterous to an adulteress adulterous
G3428-05 Romans 7:3 μοιχαλὶς moichalis N NOM F SG an adulteress adulterous woman adulteress
G3428-01 Romans 7:3 μοιχαλίδα moichalida N ACC F SG an adulteress an adulteress an adulteress
G3428-02 James 4:4 μοιχαλίδες moichalides N VOC F PL Adulteresses Adulteresses! Adulteresses
G3428-04 2 Peter 2:14 μοιχαλίδος moichalidos N GEN F SG of adultery of an adulteress of an adulteress
← G3427 Greek Lexicon G3429 →