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ξύλινος

xýlinos

G3585 substantive adjective

SILEX Entry

Definition

Made of wood; composed of or pertaining to wood. The term describes an object whose material substance is wood, often emphasizing its contrast to items made from more precious materials (such as metal or stone).

Semantic Range

made of wood, wooden, consisting of wood, pertaining to wood

Root / Etymology

From ξύλον ('wood, timber'); the suffix -ινος forms adjectives indicating material or composition, so ξύλινος means 'wooden' or 'made of wood'.

Historical & Contextual Notes

ξύλινος is a well-formed adjective in Koine and later Greek for objects or structures made of wood, appearing rarely in earlier Greek literature but well-attested in Hellenistic and later periods (including Philo, Josephus, and the New Testament). In the LXX and New Testament, the word frequently marks a clear contrast between materials (e.g., 'wooden vessel' vs. 'golden or earthen vessel,' 2 Timothy 2:20), sometimes hinting at social or ritual hierarchies. The word retains its physical/material sense, not acquiring metaphorical or symbolic values, and is standardly rendered 'wooden' or 'of wood' in English translations. In classical Greek, the term appears later and is less frequent; it is absent from major Attic authors, reflecting the lexical productivity of material adjectives in Koine.

Original Strong's Gloss (1890)

from ξύλον; wooden:--of wood.

Root Family

ξύλινος (xylinos) — wood, timber; made of wood

Root ξύλ- wood, timber

Word Forms

1 distinct form

SIDANCE Surface Transliteration Morphology Common SIBI-P1 SIBI-P2 Occurrences
G3585-01 ξύλινα xulina ADJ.S NOM N PL wood wooden things wooden 2

Occurrences in Scripture

2 occurrences

SIDANCE Reference Word Transliteration Morphology Common SIBI-P1 SIBI-P2
G3585-01 2 Timothy 2:20 ξύλινα xulina ADJ.S NOM N PL wooden wooden things wooden
G3585-01 Revelation 9:20 ξύλινα xulina ADJ.A ACC N PL wood wooden things wooden
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