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ὀδούς

odoús

G3599 noun

SILEX Entry

Definition

A tooth—the hard, calcified structure in the mouth used for biting, chewing, or tearing food. In extended or figurative usage, can refer to teeth as agents or symbols of violence, punishment, or destruction. The most common sense is the anatomical 'tooth,' but the term can also appear in idiomatic expressions relating to pain, injury, or loss ('gnashing of teeth', 'tooth for tooth').

Semantic Range

(physical) tooth, teeth; (figurative) agent of biting or destruction, symbol of pain, idioms expressing suffering or retribution

Root / Etymology

The noun ὀδούς is ancient and widely attested in Greek. Its root is ὀδοντ- (as seen in the genitive singular ὀδόντος), possibly connected to the Indo-European root *h₁ed-/*h₁odont- ('tooth'). There is no consensus etymological relationship to the verb ἐσθίω ('to eat'), though both share an Indo-European heritage related to eating or the mouth.

Historical & Contextual Notes

ὀδούς appears in both classical and Koine Greek and is the standard term for 'tooth.' Its use is both literal (referring to physical teeth) and figurative (as in destructive agents, or the expression 'gnashing of teeth,' which signifies great suffering or anguish). The phrase 'tooth for tooth' (ὀδούς ἀντὶ ὀδόντος) in the Septuagint and New Testament is part of a broader legal idiom expressing proportional justice. The word is not limited to persons: it is used for animal teeth and occasionally for sharp, tooth-like projections. While 'tooth' is a consistent translation, some nuances (such as metaphorical uses) may not always be visible in English renderings. In contrast to the more technical medical vocabulary, ὀδούς is the basic, everyday Greek word for 'tooth.'

Translation Consistency

primary "tooth" 2 occurrences

The primary and most common sense of ὀδούς is the anatomical unit ‘tooth.’ Using the singular lemma ‘tooth’ as the base lets all forms be rendered consistently (inflected to ‘teeth’ where needed) while covering figurative uses (e.g. agents or idioms like gnashing of teeth) in natural English.

Alternatives (10 occurrences):
"teeth" (10x)

Original Strong's Gloss (1890)

perhaps from the base of ἐσθίω; a "tooth":--tooth.

Root Family

ὀδούς (odoús) — tooth, teeth

Root ὀδοντ- tooth, teeth

Word Forms

5 distinct forms

SIDANCE Surface Transliteration Morphology Common SIBI-P1 SIBI-P2 Occurrences
G3599-04 ὀδόντων odonton N GEN M PL teeth of teeth teeth 7
G3599-02 ὀδόντας odontas N ACC M PL teeth teeth teeth 2
G3599-01 ὀδόντα odonta N ACC M SG a tooth tooth tooth 1
G3599-05 ὀδόντος odontos N GEN M SG a tooth of a tooth tooth 1
G3599-03 ὀδόντες odontes N NOM M PL teeth teeth teeth 1

Occurrences in Scripture

12 occurrences

SIDANCE Reference Word Transliteration Morphology Common SIBI-P1 SIBI-P2
G3599-01 Matthew 5:38 ὀδόντα odonta N ACC M SG a tooth tooth tooth
G3599-05 Matthew 5:38 ὀδόντος odontos N GEN M SG a tooth of a tooth tooth
G3599-04 Matthew 8:12 ὀδόντων odonton N GEN M PL teeth of teeth teeth
G3599-04 Matthew 13:42 ὀδόντων odonton N GEN M PL teeth of teeth teeth
G3599-04 Matthew 13:50 ὀδόντων odonton N GEN M PL teeth of teeth teeth
G3599-04 Matthew 22:13 ὀδόντων odonton N GEN M PL teeth of teeth teeth
G3599-04 Matthew 24:51 ὀδόντων odonton N GEN M PL teeth of teeth teeth
G3599-04 Matthew 25:30 ὀδόντων odonton N GEN M PL teeth of teeth teeth
G3599-02 Mark 9:18 ὀδόντας odontas N ACC M PL teeth teeth teeth
G3599-04 Luke 13:28 ὀδόντων odonton N GEN M PL teeth of teeth teeth
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