προχειροτονέω
procheirotonéō
G4401 verb
SILEX Entry
Definition
To appoint or select in advance, specifically to designate someone to a role, office, or task before the occasion of formal appointment; in various contexts, to choose beforehand, to pre-select for a purpose, or to nominate ahead of time.
Semantic Range
to appoint in advance, to pre-select, to choose beforehand, to nominate before an event, to pre-designate for office
Root / Etymology
From πρό ('before') and χειροτονέω ('to appoint by stretching out the hand', 'to elect, to designate'). Compound verb indicating the act of appointing prior to an expected time or event.
Historical & Contextual Notes
προχειροτονέω is a rare word in the extant Greek corpus, attested in later Koine Greek, including New Testament and ecclesiastical literature. Its use suggests formal or semi-formal selection ahead of time, often prior to a public or ritual acknowledgment. The underlying term χειροτονέω originally referenced voting or designating by a show of hands (cf. classical and Hellenistic usage), which by the Koine period extended to appointment or installation in office or duty—often, but not limited to, the context of civic or religious leadership. The prefix προ- heightens the temporal element, indicating the act is completed before an official event or broader election. English translations like 'choose beforehand' or 'appoint before' capture the basic sense, but may not convey the public or official nuance implied by the root. No evidence suggests a strictly 'spiritual' or 'ecclesiastical' sense exclusive to the New Testament; the term reflects broader appointment practices of the period.
Original Strong's Gloss (1890)
from πρό and χειροτονέω; to elect in advance:--choose before.
Root Family
χειροτονέ- (procheirotonéō) — to appoint by hand, to designate
Word Forms
1 distinct form
| SIDANCE | Surface | Transliteration | Morphology | Common | SIBI-P1 | SIBI-P2 | Occurrences |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
G4401-01 |
προκεχειροτονημένοις | prokecheirotonemenois | V PRF PASS PTCP DAT M PL |
chosen beforehand | to those having been pre-appointed | having been pre-appointed | 1 |
Occurrences in Scripture
1 occurrence
| SIDANCE | Reference | Word | Transliteration | Morphology | Common | SIBI-P1 | SIBI-P2 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
G4401-01 |
Acts 10:41 | προκεχειροτονημένοις | prokecheirotonemenois | V PRF PASS PTCP DAT M PL |
chosen beforehand | to those having been pre-appointed | having been pre-appointed |