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μωρία

mōría

G3472 noun

SILEX Entry

Definition

The quality or state of being foolish; folly, lack of sense, or irrationality. In philosophical or rhetorical usage, refers to something considered unreasonable or lacking in wisdom; in some contexts, specifically the absurdity or perceived senselessness of an idea or practice.

Semantic Range

foolishness, folly, lack of wisdom, absurdity, irrationality, senselessness, lack of good judgment

Root / Etymology

From the adjective μωρός (mōrós, 'foolish, dull, lacking sense, ignorant') with the abstract noun suffix -ία, forming a noun denoting the quality or state related to the adjective's meaning.

Historical & Contextual Notes

In classical Greek, μωρία appears rarely and typically connotes lack of intelligence or sensibleness, often in contrast with σοφία ('wisdom'). In Hellenistic and Koine Greek, the term is used more abstractly to describe not only personal lack of sense but also the perceived foolishness of an idea or doctrine, especially in rhetorical or polemical contexts. In the New Testament (notably 1 Corinthians), μωρία commonly denotes the perceived irrationality or absurdity of teachings considered contrary to conventional wisdom—such as the proclamation about the crucified Messiah—juxtaposed to human sophia (wisdom). Standard English translations ('foolishness', 'folly', 'absurdity') often capture much of the meaning but may not fully convey the term’s role in philosophical and polemical discourse of the time, where μωρία has connotations not only of lack of intelligence but also of a fundamental mismatch with accepted reasoning or values. The noun forms a deliberate rhetorical contrast with σοφία and is central to discussions of divine versus human wisdom in early Christian and broader Greco-Roman contexts.

Translation Consistency

primary "foolishness" 5 occurrences

Matches the primary SILEX sense and the attested P2 renderings. "Foolishness" is natural, widely used in English translations for μωρία, and covers the range (folly, lack of wisdom, absurdity) while keeping a single consistent word across all forms.

✓ All renderings match approved senses

Original Strong's Gloss (1890)

from μωρός; silliness, i.e. absurdity:--foolishness.

Root Family

μωρία (mōria) — foolishness, folly, lack of sense, irrationality, absurdity

Root μωρ- to be foolish, to lack sense, to be dull-witted

Word Forms

3 distinct forms

SIDANCE Surface Transliteration Morphology Common SIBI-P1 SIBI-P2 Occurrences
G3472-01 μωρία moria N NOM F SG foolishness foolishness foolishness 3
G3472-03 μωρίας morias N GEN F SG foolishness of foolishness foolishness 1
G3472-02 μωρίαν morian N ACC F SG foolishness foolishness foolishness 1

Occurrences in Scripture

5 occurrences

SIDANCE Reference Word Transliteration Morphology Common SIBI-P1 SIBI-P2
G3472-01 1 Corinthians 1:18 μωρία moria N NOM F SG foolishness foolishness foolishness
G3472-03 1 Corinthians 1:21 μωρίας morias N GEN F SG foolishness of foolishness foolishness
G3472-02 1 Corinthians 1:23 μωρίαν morian N ACC F SG foolishness foolishness foolishness
G3472-01 1 Corinthians 2:14 μωρία moria N NOM F SG foolishness foolishness foolishness
G3472-01 1 Corinthians 3:19 μωρία moria N NOM F SG foolishness foolishness foolishness
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