ὀψάριον (G3795) — Greek Lexicon

ὀψάριον

opsárion

G3795 noun

SILEX Entry

Root ὀψ- to roast, to prepare cooked food, to serve as relish or side dish

Definition

Small fish or piece of fish, especially dried or salted, used as food; also generally a small portion of cooked food, often serving as a side dish or relish to accompany bread or the main meal. In later contexts, most often refers specifically to a small fish, typically prepared as a staple item in simple meals.

Semantic Range

small fish (especially dried, salted, or cooked), side dish, relish, morsel of prepared food

Root / Etymology

From ὀπτός ('roasted,' 'cooked') with the diminutive and substantive suffix -αριον, originally indicating a cooked item or small dish. Etymologically, refers to something roasted or prepared via cooking, but in usage commonly denotes a small fish or morsel of prepared food.

Historical & Contextual Notes

In Classical Greek, ὀψάριον could refer to any small cooked item, particularly something eaten with bread as a relish or side dish, not limited to fish. By the Hellenistic and Roman periods (including the Koine of the New Testament), the meaning narrowed in many contexts to denote specifically a small fish, especially when served as a simple, accessible accompaniment to bread, reflecting common dietary habits in the eastern Mediterranean. In the Gospels (e.g., John 21:9, John 21:10, John 21:13), ὀψάριον is used in connection with fish eaten or shared by the disciples. The term does not specify species, preparation method (dried, cooked, fresh) except insofar as it is a 'prepared' or 'cooked' item. The English translation 'fish' reflects the contextually specific sense in the New Testament, but the broader meaning as 'relish' or 'side dish' survives in some extra-biblical Koine usage. Unlike ἰχθύς, which is a general word for fish, ὀψάριον connotes the food item, usually in diminutive sense and especially in simple, everyday meals. In the Septuagint, the word is rare and reflects later Greek usage.

Translation Consistency

primary "morsel" 3 occurrences

Opsárion typically denotes a small portion of prepared food—often a small fish or a side dish/relish. "Morsel" is a natural, concise English noun that covers both a small piece of food and the sense of a small fish used as food, making it a consistent, idiomatic choice across all forms.

Alternatives (2 occurrences):

"small fish" (2x)

Original Strong's Gloss (1890)

neuter of a presumed derivative of the base of ὀπτός; a relish to other food (as if cooked sauce), i.e. (specially), fish (presumably salted and dried as a condiment):--fish.

Root Family

ὀψάριον (opsarion) — small fish, prepared morsel, side dish, relish

Word Forms

2 distinct forms

SIDANCE	Surface	Transliteration	Morphology	Common	SIBI-P1	SIBI-P2	Occurrences
`G3795-02`	ὀψαρίων	opsarion	`N GEN N PL`	fish	of small fish	of morsels	4
`G3795-01`	ὀψάρια	opsaria	`N ACC N PL`	fish	small prepared fish	small fish	1

Occurrences in Scripture

5 occurrences

Filter by SIDANCE:

SIDANCE	Reference	Word	Transliteration	Morphology	Common	SIBI-P1	SIBI-P2
`G3795-01`	John 6:9	ὀψάρια	opsaria	`N ACC N PL`	fish	small prepared fish	small fish
`G3795-02`	John 6:11	ὀψαρίων	opsarion	`N GEN N PL`	fish	of small fish	small fish
`G3795-02`	John 21:9	ὀψάριον	opsarion	`N ACC N SG`	fish	of small fish	of morsels
`G3795-02`	John 21:10	ὀψαρίων	opsarion	`N GEN N PL`	fish	of small fish	of morsels
`G3795-02`	John 21:13	ὀψάριον	opsarion	`N ACC N SG`	fish	of small fish	of morsels

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