μονόω
monóō
G3443 verb
SILEX Entry
Definition
To render alone or solitary; to leave isolated or without companions. In extended contexts, to cause a person to be bereft—especially of family, loved ones, or support—thus to render desolate or forsaken. The primary lexical meaning involves making someone or something solitary, with secondary senses indicating emotional or social isolation, particularly through loss.
Semantic Range
to render alone, to leave solitary, to isolate, to render bereft or desolate, to cause loss or abandonment
Root / Etymology
Derived from μόνος (monos, 'alone' or 'only'); formed by adding the verbal suffix -όω to the root, meaning 'to make single or alone.' No external (non-Greek) origin is attested.
Historical & Contextual Notes
μονόω is a rare verb in ancient Greek texts. Its basic meaning, 'to make alone' or 'to cause to be in solitude,' is consistent with the usage in Koine Greek. In the New Testament (Revelation 18:7,19), it is used to describe the state of being left utterly alone, deprived of company or comforts—especially in contexts of mourning or loss. In the Septuagint and other Greek literature, the term can refer either to literal isolation (to cause to be alone) or to figurative desolation, such as bereavement or utter ruin. The emotional overtone often includes abandonment, grief, or deprivation even if not explicitly stated. English renderings such as 'make desolate' or 'bereave' partly capture the sense, but may not always reflect the underlying imagery of solitary abandonment. Strong's gloss focuses on the sense of bereavement, but the word more fundamentally refers to the state of being rendered solitary or isolated, which in context may imply bereftness or desolation.
Original Strong's Gloss (1890)
from μόνος; to isolate, i.e. bereave:--be desolate.
Root Family
μονόω (monoō) — to make alone, isolate, render solitary
Word Forms
1 distinct form
| SIDANCE | Surface | Transliteration | Morphology | Common | SIBI-P1 | SIBI-P2 | Occurrences |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
G3443-01 |
μεμονωμένη | memonomene | V PRF PASS PTCP NOM F SG |
desolate | having been rendered solitary | having been rendered solitary | 1 |
Occurrences in Scripture
1 occurrence
| SIDANCE | Reference | Word | Transliteration | Morphology | Common | SIBI-P1 | SIBI-P2 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
G3443-01 |
1 Timothy 5:5 | μεμονωμένη | memonomene | V PRF PASS PTCP NOM F SG |
desolate | having been rendered solitary | having been rendered solitary |