Πόντος
Póntos
G4195 noun
SILEX Entry
Definition
Properly, 'the sea'; in Hellenistic and Roman contexts, the term serves as the name for the region north of Asia Minor along the southern Black Sea coast, known as Pontus. The word is used both in its generic sense ('sea') and as a specific toponym identifying this geographical territory. In the New Testament and related literature, it always refers to the region Pontus, not a general body of water.
Semantic Range
sea, open sea (old usage); Pontus (region north of Asia Minor, along the Black Sea); Roman province Pontus
Root / Etymology
Greek πόντος originally meant 'sea' in early Greek, but as a toponym, its use for the region on the southern coast of the Black Sea likely reflects an ancient understanding of geography. Some sources suggest the name may predate Greek, possibly of Anatolian or earlier origin, but generally connected by folk etymology to πόντος ('sea').
Historical & Contextual Notes
In classical Greek, πόντος primarily referred to the open sea, often contrasted with θάλασσα, which could mean 'sea' or 'lake.' By the Hellenistic and Roman periods, Πόντος became the standard designation for the region along the southern Black Sea (in modern northeastern Turkey). In Acts and 1 Peter, Πόντος denotes a Roman administrative region inhabited by a diverse mix of local Anatolian peoples, Greeks, and other groups; it is not an ethnic or religious term. Later English Bible translations typically render Πόντος with the legacy transliteration 'Pontus,' but for ancient readers, the name evoked both a distant, maritime land and a Roman provincial entity. There is no evidence in biblical Greek that the word referred to the sea generally; this sense is found only in earlier or literary contexts.
Original Strong's Gloss (1890)
of Latin origin; a sea; Pontus, a region of Asia Minor:--Pontus.
Root Family
ποντ- (katapontízō) — sea, deep, to submerge, cause to sink
| Strong's | Lemma | SIBI-P1 |
|---|---|---|
| G2670 | καταποντίζω | may be submerged |
Word Forms
2 distinct forms
| SIDANCE | Surface | Transliteration | Morphology | Common | SIBI-P1 | SIBI-P2 | Occurrences |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
G4195-01 |
Πόντον | ponton | N ACC M SG |
Pontus | Pontus | Pontus | 1 |
G4195-02 |
Πόντου | pontou | N GEN M SG |
of Pontus | of Pontus | of Pontus | 1 |
Occurrences in Scripture
2 occurrences
| SIDANCE | Reference | Word | Transliteration | Morphology | Common | SIBI-P1 | SIBI-P2 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
G4195-01 |
Acts 2:9 | Πόντον | ponton | N ACC M SG |
Pontus | Pontus | Pontus |
G4195-02 |
1 Peter 1:1 | Πόντου | pontou | N GEN M SG |
of Pontus | of Pontus | of Pontus |