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πνίγω

pnígō

G4155 verb

SILEX Entry

Root πνιγ- to choke, to suffocate, to throttle, to strangle

Definition

to press tightly around the neck, causing restricted breathing or suffocation; to strangle, throttle, or choke. In broader contexts, to suffocate, either by constriction or by other means (such as gasping, drowning, or pressure upon the windpipe). By extension, to suppress, stifle, or crowd out (as in the parable of the sower, describing thorns that choke plants). The core sense is physical restriction of breath, but the term can refer to both literal and figurative suffocation or overwhelming pressure.

Semantic Range

to choke, to strangle, to suffocate, to throttle, to crowd out, to suppress, to be overwhelmed or stifled, (figuratively) to stifle growth or development

Root / Etymology

Derived from the root πνιγ-; related to πνέω ('to breathe'). The sense development extends from 'to restrict breathing' (by pressure) to 'to choke' or 'to strangle.'

Historical & Contextual Notes

πνίγω is attested in classical Greek with the core sense of choking or strangling, often with physical violence or by an external force (e.g., hanging, throttling, or holding under water). In Koine Greek (including the Septuagint and New Testament), it can be used literally for strangling (e.g., Acts 22:23; Sirach 28:23) or in an extended sense for plants or things being overwhelmed (e.g., Luke 8:7—the thorns choking the growing plant). The term is distinct from ἀποπνίγω, a compound more specifically emphasizing the completion (utter suffocation) of the choking action. Standard English translations often render πνίγω as 'choke,' 'strangle,' or 'throttle,' but the Greek term may cover a semantic range that includes both human-to-human violent action and natural causes (suffocation, overcrowding, or overwhelming). The connection to πνέω emphasizes the breath or life being hampered. In medical or biological texts of the era, πνίγω might also refer to the process of stopping air (as in asphyxiation).

Original Strong's Gloss (1890)

strengthened from πνέω; to wheeze, i.e. (causative, by implication) to throttle or strangle (drown):--choke, take by the throat.

Root Family

πνίγω (pnigō) — to choke, to suffocate, to throttle, to strangle

Word Forms

2 distinct forms

SIDANCE Surface Transliteration Morphology Common SIBI-P1 SIBI-P2 Occurrences
G4155-01 ἔπνιγεν epnigen V IMPF ACT IND 3P SG took by the throat was choking was choking 1
G4155-02 ἐπνίγοντο epnigonto V IMPF PASS IND 3P PL they were choked they were being choked were being choked 1

Occurrences in Scripture

2 occurrences

SIDANCE Reference Word Transliteration Morphology Common SIBI-P1 SIBI-P2
G4155-01 Matthew 18:28 ἔπνιγεν epnigen V IMPF ACT IND 3P SG took by the throat was choking was choking
G4155-02 Mark 5:13 ἐπνίγοντο epnigonto V IMPF PASS IND 3P PL they were choked they were being choked were being choked
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