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νόμισμα

nómisma

G3546 noun

SILEX Entry

Definition

That which is sanctioned or established by usage or law, especially a piece of money that is officially issued and accepted as currency. In its primary sense, refers to coinage: a unit of value authorized by a governing authority. Broader contexts may include any thing or practice that is conventional, but in the New Testament and early Greek literature, the term is most often used specifically for coined money.

Semantic Range

official coin, currency with legal value, anything recognized by law or custom, conventionally accepted practice (rare)

Root / Etymology

From the verb νομίζω (to practice by custom, to consider customary or lawful), which is derived from νόμος (custom, law). The noun νόμισμα denotes something established or recognized by custom or law, particularly coined currency. Cognate with the Latin numisma (source of modern 'numismatics').

Historical & Contextual Notes

In classical Greek, νόμισμα refers broadly to anything established by custom or law, including norms and conventions, but quickly came to be used in the specific sense of 'coin' or 'money' by the 5th century BCE. This specialization is reflected throughout Hellenistic and Roman Greek, including the New Testament, where νόμισμα refers specifically to state-issued coinage (e.g., Matthew 22:19). The term's focus is on the legitimacy and recognized value of the coin, not merely the metal itself—contrasting with other terms like ἀργύριον (which can mean silver or money generally) or δηνάριον (a specific denomination). English translations usually render it as 'money' or 'coin,' but the term primarily denotes legally sanctioned currency as opposed to precious metal or barter items. This distinction is important in New Testament usage, which reflects Roman administrative and monetary norms.

Original Strong's Gloss (1890)

from νομίζω; what is reckoned as of value (after the Latin numisma), i.e. current coin:--money.

Root Family

νόμισμα (nomisma) — official coin, sanctioned currency, legally recognized medium of exchange

Root νομ- to consider valid, to establish as custom, to sanction

Word Forms

1 distinct form

SIDANCE Surface Transliteration Morphology Common SIBI-P1 SIBI-P2 Occurrences
G3546-01 νόμισμα nomisma N ACC N SG coin official coin official coin 1

Occurrences in Scripture

1 occurrence

SIDANCE Reference Word Transliteration Morphology Common SIBI-P1 SIBI-P2
G3546-01 Matthew 22:19 νόμισμα nomisma N ACC N SG coin official coin official coin
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