ἄνηθον
ánēthon
G432 noun
SILEX Entry
Definition
A plant of the Apiaceae family, identified as dill (Anethum graveolens), primarily cultivated for its aromatic seeds and leaves used as a culinary herb or spice. In ancient Greek, the term refers specifically to the dill plant and its produce, both as a garden herb and for medicinal or ritual purposes.
Semantic Range
dill plant, dill seed, garden herb, aromatic plant used for food or medicine
Root / Etymology
Uncertain etymology; generally regarded as a loanword from a non-Greek (possibly Semitic or Anatolian) substrate language. The term does not have a clear derivation within common Greek roots and appears as a technical or botanical loanword.
Historical & Contextual Notes
ἄνηθον is attested in classical Greek from the 5th century BCE (e.g., Hippocrates, Theophrastus, Dioscorides) and consistently denotes dill, not anise. The confusion in some English translations (e.g., rendering as 'anise' in Matthew 23:23 KJV) is historically incorrect, as 'anise' refers to a different plant (Pimpinella anisum). In Greco-Roman culinary, medicinal, and ritual contexts, ἄνηθον denotes dill. In the New Testament (Matthew 23:23), its mention alongside garden herbs situates it as a representative example of a minor cultivated plant used for tithing. There is no evidence that ἄνηθον referred to 'anise' in Greek sources; standard English translations based on traditions like the KJV are misleading. In the Septuagint and extra-biblical Greek, usage is consistent as 'dill.' Later Greek, Latin (anethum), and medical texts confirm this identification.
Original Strong's Gloss (1890)
probably of foreign origin; dill:--anise.
Root Family
ἄνηθον (anēthon) — dill, fragrant herb, garden plant
Word Forms
1 distinct form
| SIDANCE | Surface | Transliteration | Morphology | Common | SIBI-P1 | SIBI-P2 | Occurrences |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
G432-01 |
ἄνηθον | anethon | N ACC N SG |
dill | dill | dill | 1 |
Occurrences in Scripture
1 occurrence
| SIDANCE | Reference | Word | Transliteration | Morphology | Common | SIBI-P1 | SIBI-P2 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
G432-01 |
Matthew 23:23 | ἄνηθον | anethon | N ACC N SG |
dill | dill | dill |