παλαιότης
palaiótēs
G3821 noun
SILEX Entry
Definition
State or quality of being old; condition of being ancient or antiquated. The term primarily conveys the idea of an era, state, or practice characterized by age or former times, often in contrast with something new. In Koine contexts, it may refer to the former manner or state of affairs, sometimes carrying implications of obsolescence or lack of relevance to the present.
Semantic Range
state of being old, antiquatedness, condition of being outdated, former state or manner
Root / Etymology
From the adjective παλαιός (old, ancient) suffixed with -της, forming an abstract noun that expresses the state or quality of being old.
Historical & Contextual Notes
παλαιότης is a rare abstract noun that appears in Hellenistic and especially Pauline contexts (notably Romans 7:6; cf. also Epistle of Barnabas). While it simply denotes 'oldness' or 'antiquatedness', in New Testament usage it is often set in antithesis with καινότης ('newness', G2538), underscoring the contrast between an old system or condition and a new one (e.g., old covenant vs new covenant, old way of living vs new way in the Spirit). Unlike ἀρχαῖος ('ancient'), παλαιός and its derivatives tend to focus not merely on chronological age but on obsolescence or relevance; thus παλαιότης can subtly imply outworn or no longer appropriate. Standard English translations as 'oldness' or 'old way' often fail to capture the nuance that the word may carry in moral, covenantal, or cultural contrasts of the period. The term is not attested in earlier classical sources and is predominantly Hellenistic/post-classical in usage, aligning with the abstract formation typical of Second Temple and Koine Greek vocabulary development.
Original Strong's Gloss (1890)
from παλαιός; antiquatedness:--oldness.
Root Family
παλαι- (palaiós) — old, ancient, previous
Word Forms
1 distinct form
| SIDANCE | Surface | Transliteration | Morphology | Common | SIBI-P1 | SIBI-P2 | Occurrences |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
G3821-01 |
παλαιότητι | palaioteti | N DAT F SG |
oldness | in oldness | in oldness | 1 |
Occurrences in Scripture
1 occurrence
| SIDANCE | Reference | Word | Transliteration | Morphology | Common | SIBI-P1 | SIBI-P2 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
G3821-01 |
Romans 7:6 | παλαιότητι | palaioteti | N DAT F SG |
oldness | in oldness | in oldness |