περπερεύομαι
perpereúomai
G4068 verb
SILEX Entry
Definition
To behave in an arrogant or boastful manner, to manifest self-importance or presumption; to display oneself ostentatiously or speak with excessive pride. In various contexts, this can indicate making a show of oneself, parading one's supposed virtues or achievements, or acting with pretentious self-congratulation.
Semantic Range
to behave arrogantly, to make a show of oneself, to parade one's abilities or achievements, to act in a self-important or ostentatious way, to boastfully display oneself
Root / Etymology
Formed with a reduplicative process, possibly from the noun περπερος (‘braggart, boaster’), itself of uncertain etymology in Greek. The middle-passive verbal form περπερεύομαι reflects the act of self-display or self-promotion.
Historical & Contextual Notes
The meaning of περπερεύομαι is attested in post-classical Koine, but it is rare and non-classical in origin. In the New Testament, the term appears exclusively in 1 Corinthians 13:4 to characterize the kind of self-important or boastful behavior that negates genuine χάρις (grace/love). Outside of Biblical and early Christian literature, it is scarcely found, which suggests either an artificial formation or one especially suited to moral discourse. In Hellenistic contexts, the notion of ‘boastfulness’ is often contrasted with ταπεινοφροσύνη (humility). The term is not equivalent to κομπάζω (‘to boast, brag’); περπερεύομαι carries an added sense of visible pretension or making a spectacle of oneself. Most English translations as 'vaunt,' 'boast,' or 'parade itself' approximately capture the sense but tend to underemphasize the performative and ostentatious connotation in Greek.
Original Strong's Gloss (1890)
middle voice from (braggart; perhaps by reduplication of the base of πέραν); to boast:--vaunt itself.
Root Family
περπερ- (perpereúomai) — to boast, to act pretentiously, to show off
Word Forms
1 distinct form
| SIDANCE | Surface | Transliteration | Morphology | Common | SIBI-P1 | SIBI-P2 | Occurrences |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
G4068-01 |
περπερεύεται | perpereuetai | V PRS MID IND 3P SG |
vaunteth not itself | is showing itself off | shows itself off | 1 |
Occurrences in Scripture
1 occurrence
| SIDANCE | Reference | Word | Transliteration | Morphology | Common | SIBI-P1 | SIBI-P2 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
G4068-01 |
1 Corinthians 13:4 | περπερεύεται | perpereuetai | V PRS MID IND 3P SG |
vaunteth not itself | is showing itself off | shows itself off |