ὁμοιότης
homoiótēs
G3665 noun
SILEX Entry
Definition
State or condition of being like or similar; resemblance, similarity. The primary lexical meaning is 'likeness'—a quality or characteristic shared that creates a comparability between two entities. The term can indicate a comparison, an analogy, or the fact of being alike in essential features. Contextually, it can refer to abstract similarity (e.g., likeness in form or nature), metaphorical likeness (e.g., similarity in conduct or status), or, in specific texts, an exemplar or representation that stands for something else.
Semantic Range
likeness, similarity, resemblance, state of being like, analogy, similitude, model, pattern
Root / Etymology
From the adjective ὅμοιος ('like, similar'), with the abstract noun suffix -της that denotes a state or quality. Thus, ὁμοιότης literally means 'the quality or state of being like' or 'likeness.'
Historical & Contextual Notes
Attested in classical Greek (e.g., Plato, Aristotle) where it frequently refers to resemblance in form, kind, or quality. In the Septuagint and New Testament (the sole NT occurrence is in James 3:9), ὁμοιότης denotes the abstract quality of resemblance (e.g., 'likeness of God'), often emphasizing ontological or moral similarity rather than strict visual resemblance. The term is distinct from εἰκών (image, representation), which implies a concrete manifestation or visual representation, while ὁμοιότης often indicates a more abstract, essential resemblance. English translations sometimes render it as 'similitude' or 'likeness,' but the semantic range can include nuanced senses of analogy, model, or pattern. While related to ὁμοίωμα ('likeness' in concrete sense or form), ὁμοιότης emphasizes the abstraction of similarity. In both Hellenistic philosophical and Jewish-Greek contexts, it could relate to resemblance between individuals and the divine (as in being 'in the likeness of God'), a theme with philosophical and theological significance in antiquity. The translation 'similitude' (KJV) captures the older English sense but may seem archaic in modern usage. Modern translations tend to prefer 'likeness.'
Original Strong's Gloss (1890)
from ὅμοιος; resemblance:--like as, similitude.
Root Family
ὁμοιότης (homoiótēs) — likeness, similarity, resemblance, state of being like
Word Forms
1 distinct form
| SIDANCE | Surface | Transliteration | Morphology | Common | SIBI-P1 | SIBI-P2 | Occurrences |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
G3665-01 |
ὁμοιότητα | omoioteta | N ACC F SG |
likeness | likeness | likeness | 2 |
Occurrences in Scripture
2 occurrences
| SIDANCE | Reference | Word | Transliteration | Morphology | Common | SIBI-P1 | SIBI-P2 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
G3665-01 |
Hebrews 4:15 | ὁμοιότητα | omoioteta | N ACC F SG |
likeness | likeness | likeness |
G3665-01 |
Hebrews 7:15 | ὁμοιότητα | omoioteta | N ACC F SG |
likeness | likeness | likeness |