Πρίσκιλλα
Prískilla
G4252 noun
SILEX Entry
Definition
Personal name, a diminutive form of Prisca, meaning 'little Prisca' or 'young Prisca.' Refers specifically to a woman named Priscilla, known as an associate of Paul in the New Testament. The name itself does not carry lexical meaning beyond its use as a proper noun, but the diminutive indicates familiarity, affection, or youth compared to the original name Prisca.
Semantic Range
Priscilla (proper name), diminutive of Prisca, affectionate or familiar form of the name
Root / Etymology
Diminutive of Πρίσκα (Prisca), which itself is derived from the Latin 'Prisca,' meaning 'ancient,' 'venerable,' or 'worthy of respect.' The Greek form adapts the Latin name, with the ending -ιλλα (-illa) added to form the diminutive.
Historical & Contextual Notes
Πρίσκιλλα is used exclusively as a personal name and appears only in the New Testament (Acts 18:2, 18, 26; Romans 16:3; 1 Corinthians 16:19; 2 Timothy 4:19), referring to a Judean woman prominent in the early Jesus-movement and known for her partnership with Aquila. While modern translations typically use 'Priscilla,' the doublet form Πρίσκα occurs in some manuscripts, and the use of the diminutive likely reflects Roman naming conventions adopted in multicultural contexts. The name highlights Greco-Roman onomastic influences in early Judean and wider Mediterranean circles. The English name 'Priscilla' follows the same pattern, but the original context would have carried associations with Roman social norms, not any religious identity.
Original Strong's Gloss (1890)
diminutive of Πρίσκα; Priscilla (i.e. little Prisca), a Christian woman:--Priscilla.
Root Family
Πρισκ- (Prískilla) — personal name, diminutive of Prisca
Word Forms
2 distinct forms
| SIDANCE | Surface | Transliteration | Morphology | Common | SIBI-P1 | SIBI-P2 | Occurrences |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
G4252-01 |
Πρίσκιλλα | priskilla | N NOM F SG |
Priscilla | Priscilla | Priskilla | 2 |
G4252-02 |
Πρίσκιλλαν | priskillan | N ACC F SG |
Priscilla | Priscilla | Priskilla | 1 |
Occurrences in Scripture
3 occurrences
| SIDANCE | Reference | Word | Transliteration | Morphology | Common | SIBI-P1 | SIBI-P2 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
G4252-02 |
Acts 18:2 | Πρίσκιλλαν | priskillan | N ACC F SG |
Priscilla | Priscilla | Priskilla |
G4252-01 |
Acts 18:18 | Πρίσκιλλα | priskilla | N NOM F SG |
Priscilla | Priscilla | Priskilla |
G4252-01 |
Acts 18:26 | Πρίσκιλλα | priskilla | N NOM F SG |
Priscilla | Priscilla | Priskilla |