ῥέω
rhéō
G4483
SILEX Entry
Definition
To flow, to move as a liquid or stream; in certain contexts, to emit or proceed from a source (especially in reference to speech or utterance metaphorically conceived as something that flows). Less commonly, used in transferred or poetic sense for the act of speaking or uttering words, particularly as an elevated or formulaic proclamation.
Semantic Range
to flow (of water, liquids, rivers); to stream; (rarely, poetically) to utter, to speak, to pronounce solemnly
Root / Etymology
From the root ῥε- or ῥεῦ-, related to the general Indo-European root for 'flow.' Closely linked to ῥοή ('stream, flow'), and possibly related etymologically to Latin 'rivus' (stream). The use for speaking is metaphorical, connecting the idea of uttering as a 'flowing forth' of words. Not etymologically connected to ἔπω except by occasional functional equivalence in certain formulaic literary contexts.
Historical & Contextual Notes
In classical and Hellenistic Greek, ῥέω is chiefly used for the literal sense of flowing—of rivers, streams, or liquids. Its metaphorical extension to speech is rare, mostly poetic or epic (e.g. Homeric Greek), where 'to flow' of words means to utter or declare, often in solemn or formal pronouncement (i.e., 'flowing' words). By the Koine period, this sense is largely archaic, as common terms for 'to say' or 'to speak' are λέγω or ἐρέω (the latter also epic/poetic). In the Greek New Testament, the term rarely, if ever, appears with the sense of 'to speak' outside citation or formulaic quotations, and is not the ordinary verb for common speech. Standard English translations typically do not capture the liquid, flowing semantic of the term, focusing instead on the derivative metaphorical sense when it appears.
Original Strong's Gloss (1890)
ἔπωperhaps akin (or identical) with ῥέω (through the idea of pouring forth); to utter, i.e. speak or say:--command, make, say, speak (of). Compare λέγω.
Root Family
ῥε- (rhéō) — to flow, to move in a stream, to run (of liquids)
| Strong's | Lemma | SIBI-P1 |
|---|---|---|
| G4482 | ῥέω | they will flow |
Word Forms
0 distinct forms
No word forms found for this Strong's number.
Occurrences in Scripture
0 occurrences
No occurrences found.