ῥαββονί
rhabboní
G4462 noun
SILEX Entry
Definition
A respectful title meaning 'my great master' or 'my honored teacher,' used to address someone of notable authority or distinction, particularly a personal teacher or master. In contextual usage, it serves as an honorific form of direct address, often expressing deep respect or recognition of one's authoritative role in teaching or leadership. Semantically, its use sometimes emphasizes personal relationship ('my master/teacher'), as contrasted with broader or less intimate forms of address.
Semantic Range
my great one, my master, my honored teacher, my lord (in an honorific but not necessarily divine sense), respectful teacher or leader
Root / Etymology
From Aramaic (Chaldee) רבוני (rabboni), constructed from רב (rab, 'great, master') and the first person singular possessive suffix -וני ('my'), thus meaning 'my great one' or 'my master.' Cognate to the Hebrew רב ('rav') and related to the Greek ῥαββί (rhabbi, 'rabbi').
Historical & Contextual Notes
ῥαββονί occurs infrequently in Greek sources and is known primarily from its use as a transliterated form in the Gospels (notably in John 20:16), where it is used as a direct form of address to Jesus. Distinct from ῥαββί (rabbi)—it adds the sense of personal relationship (through the possessive) and sometimes heightened respect or emotion. Both ῥαββί and ῥαββονί are transliterations of Aramaic/Hebrew titles used for esteemed teachers/leaders among Judeans in the late Second Temple period but are not native Greek words. The English translation 'Lord' found in some traditions is interpretive and does not reflect the original phraseology; 'Rabboni' and 'Rabbi' served as honorifics, not divine titles. The form reflects Jewish naming and honorific practices rather than Hellenistic or non-Judean ones. The term's use in literary Greek is extremely rare outside Hellenistic Jewish and early Christian texts. Unlike the broader Greek terms κύριος (lord, master) or διδάσκαλος (teacher), ῥαββονί is laden with local, cultural–religious nuance.
Original Strong's Gloss (1890)
of Chaldee origin; corresponding to ῥαββί:--Lord, Rabboni.
Root Family
ῥαββονί (rhabboni) — to be great, master, teacher
Word Forms
1 distinct form
| SIDANCE | Surface | Transliteration | Morphology | Common | SIBI-P1 | SIBI-P2 | Occurrences |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
G4462-01 |
Ραββουνεί | rabbounei | N VOC M SG |
Rabboni | my honored teacher | Rhabboni | 2 |
Occurrences in Scripture
2 occurrences
| SIDANCE | Reference | Word | Transliteration | Morphology | Common | SIBI-P1 | SIBI-P2 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
G4462-01 |
Mark 10:51 | Ραββουνεί | rabbounei | N VOC M SG |
Rabboni | my honored teacher | Rhabboni |
G4462-01 |
John 20:16 | Ραββουνεί | rabbounei | N VOC M SG |
Rabboni | my honored teacher | Rhabboni |