ῥῆγμα
rhēgma
G4485 noun
SILEX Entry
Definition
A thing that is torn or broken, a fragment or piece resulting from violent tearing; by extension, a disruption or ruin. The core sense refers to a part separated from a whole due to forceful breakage. Contextually, it may describe something physically broken (like a piece of cloth or pottery), or figuratively, a state of destruction or collapse resulting from violent events.
Semantic Range
fragment, piece torn off, broken part, ruin, collapse, destruction, a state of being torn or ruined
Root / Etymology
From the verb ῥήγνυμι ('to break, to burst, to tear asunder'), with the noun-forming suffix -μα denoting the result of the action (i.e., the thing broken or torn). Cognate with other forms denoting breakage or rupture.
Historical & Contextual Notes
ῥῆγμα is a rare noun in Greek literature, attested in Hellenistic and Koine periods, used both literally for fragments of material objects and by extension for ruined states. In the Septuagint and later Greek, it often signifies not just a physical piece but the state or result of being torn (e.g., ruins, collapse of a structure, downfall of a person or nation). The underlying verb ῥήγνυμι is an older Greek word with broad use for violent rupturing. Standard English translations often opt for 'ruin' or 'fragment,' but the range encompasses both physical and metaphorical breakages. Not to be confused with terms like κατάγμα ('fracture') or θραύσμα ('shard'), which focus more specifically on breaking or shattering without necessarily connoting violence or catastrophic ruin.
Original Strong's Gloss (1890)
from ῥήγνυμι; something torn, i.e. a fragment (by implication and abstractly, a fall):--ruin.
Root Family
ῥηγ- (perirrhḗgnymi) — to break, to tear, to shatter
Word Forms
1 distinct form
| SIDANCE | Surface | Transliteration | Morphology | Common | SIBI-P1 | SIBI-P2 | Occurrences |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
G4485-01 |
ῥῆγμα | regma | N NOM N SG |
ruin | torn fragment | ruin | 1 |
Occurrences in Scripture
1 occurrence
| SIDANCE | Reference | Word | Transliteration | Morphology | Common | SIBI-P1 | SIBI-P2 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
G4485-01 |
Luke 6:49 | ῥῆγμα | regma | N NOM N SG |
ruin | torn fragment | ruin |