νεότης
neótēs
G3503 noun
SILEX Entry
Definition
A period or state of youth; the time of life following childhood and preceding mature adulthood. Primarily denotes early adulthood or young age, often with connotations of vigor, inexperience, or the characteristics typical of young people. Can refer generically to the span of youth, or to the state/condition of being youthful.
Semantic Range
youth (period of life), youthfulness (the quality or condition of being young), early adulthood, vigor or inexperience typical of young age, the time following childhood and preceding maturity
Root / Etymology
From νέος ('new, young'), with the nominal suffix -της forming an abstract noun indicating state or quality. Thus, νεότης = 'the state of being young/youth.'
Historical & Contextual Notes
In Classical Greek, νεότης was widely used to describe youth as a stage of life (approximately adolescence up to the threshold of mature adulthood), and by extension, the qualities or faults associated with this age, such as energy, vitality, but also rashness or inexperience. In the Hellenistic and Koine periods, it retained this core meaning and frequently appears in philosophical and moral contexts to contrast the transience of youthful vigor with maturity or old age. In the Septuagint and New Testament, νεότης typically refers to the time of life characterized by youthful impulses, sometimes neutrally (the period of youth, e.g., Luke 18:21), and sometimes in moral exhortations (e.g., 'desires of youth'). Standard English translations render νεότης as 'youth,' but may obscure nuances relating either to the positive qualities of early vigor or to the period’s association with inexperience and temptation. The term may be contrasted with γῆρας ('old age') in Greek sources.
Original Strong's Gloss (1890)
from νέος; newness, i.e. youthfulness:--youth.
Root Family
νεότης (neotēs) — new, young, youth, youthfulness
Word Forms
1 distinct form
| SIDANCE | Surface | Transliteration | Morphology | Common | SIBI-P1 | SIBI-P2 | Occurrences |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
G3503-01 |
νεότητός | neotetos | N GEN F SG |
youth | of youth | youth | 4 |
Occurrences in Scripture
4 occurrences
| SIDANCE | Reference | Word | Transliteration | Morphology | Common | SIBI-P1 | SIBI-P2 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
G3503-01 |
Mark 10:20 | νεότητός | neotetos | N GEN F SG |
youth | of youth | youth |
G3503-01 |
Luke 18:21 | νεότητος | neotetos | N GEN F SG |
youth | of youth | youth |
G3503-01 |
Acts 26:4 | νεότητος | neotetos | N GEN F SG |
youth | of youth | youth |
G3503-01 |
1 Timothy 4:12 | νεότητος | neotetos | N GEN F SG |
youth | of youth | youth |