← G3652 G3654 →

ὄλυνθος

ólynthos

G3653 noun

SILEX Entry

Definition

An unripe fig, particularly one that forms out of season and typically falls before reaching maturity; in certain contexts, specifically references the fig that drops prematurely due to abnormal weather or lack of fertilization. The term can be used to describe a fig in a vulnerable or unstable state, prone to loss before harvest.

Semantic Range

unripe fig, prematurely fallen fig, unseasonal fig, fruit that fails to reach maturity

Root / Etymology

etymology uncertain. The word may be related to ancient Greek ὄλυξ (a fruit resembling the fig or olive) or derive from local or dialectal roots, but definitive origin has not been established.

Historical & Contextual Notes

ὄλυνθος is an uncommon word in Greek literature and appears in the Septuagint (LXX Hosea 9:10) and in some post-biblical texts. In the LXX, it translates Hebrew פַּג (pag), which denotes an immature or unripened fig, especially one unlikely to complete the ripening process. By the Hellenistic period, ὄλυνθος had a specialized agricultural resonance: it referred to figs that, due to lack of pollination (caprification) or adverse environmental factors, fell off the tree before maturation and thus could not be harvested. Unlike the general Greek term for fig (σῦκον), ὄλυνθος highlights the fruit's impermanency. English translations often render it 'untimely fig' or 'unripe fig,' but these may not wholly capture the nuance of fruit lost unexpectedly or prematurely. There is no substantial evidence that the term carries other metaphorical or symbolic meanings in extant Koine Greek sources. Lexical tradition does not link the word to wider metaphorical usage, so care should be taken not to import later allegorical meanings into Hellenistic or biblical contexts.

Original Strong's Gloss (1890)

of uncertain derivation; an unripe (because out of season) fig:--untimely fig.

Root Family

ὀλυνθ- (ólynthos) — unripe, premature fruit, to fall before ripening

Root ὀλυνθ- unripe, premature fruit, to fall before ripening

Word Forms

1 distinct form

SIDANCE Surface Transliteration Morphology Common SIBI-P1 SIBI-P2 Occurrences
G3653-01 ὀλύνθους olunthous N ACC M PL unripe figs unripe figs unripe figs 1

Occurrences in Scripture

1 occurrence

SIDANCE Reference Word Transliteration Morphology Common SIBI-P1 SIBI-P2
G3653-01 Revelation 6:13 ὀλύνθους olunthous N ACC M PL unripe figs unripe figs unripe figs
← G3652 Greek Lexicon G3654 →