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σαπρός

saprós

G4550 attributive adjective

SILEX Entry

Definition

Primarily denotes something decayed or putrefying; of physical substances—‘rotten, spoiled.’ By extension, used figuratively in reference to speech or character—‘foul, depraved, harmful.’ The basic meaning is decay/rottenness, but it extends metaphorically to indicate something morally or socially corrupt or unwholesome.

Semantic Range

rotten, decayed, spoiled (of food, trees, physical matter); unwholesome, harmful (of words or speech); depraved, worthless (of character or deeds); putrid, foul (general description of quality)

Root / Etymology

From the root σήπω (sēpō, 'to cause to rot' or 'putrefy'), to which the adjective-forming suffix -ρός is added. The term is closely related to σαπίζω (‘to make rotten’) and σαπρία (‘rottenness, decay’).

Historical & Contextual Notes

In classical Greek, σαπρός primarily described organic material (wood, fruit, flesh) that had succumbed to rot or decay—rarely applied to persons directly. In the Septuagint and Hellenistic sources, it continued to denote things physically unfit for use because of spoilage or decomposition. In the New Testament (e.g., Matthew 7:17-18; Ephesians 4:29), its meaning broadens metaphorically: describing not just literal spoiling but also 'unwholesome' words or corrupt moral qualities. English translations often render it as 'bad,' 'corrupt,' 'worthless,' or 'foul,' but these may obscure the core idea of decay or putrefaction underlying the term. It distinguishes itself from πονηρός, which commonly denotes evil, malice, or moral wickedness in a broader ethical sense, while σαπρός emphasizes the quality of being spoiled or rendered valueless due to rot or moral decay.

Translation Consistency

primary "rotten" 8 occurrences

σαπρός primarily denotes physical decay/putrefaction and most English occurrences are rendered “rotten.” “Rotten” is natural English, covers both literal (food, wood) and figurative (speech, character) senses, and therefore provides the most consistent, idiomatic base term across all forms; it also matches the majority usage better than alternatives like “corrupt.”

✓ All renderings match approved senses

Original Strong's Gloss (1890)

from σήπω; rotten, i.e. worthless (literally or morally):--bad, corrupt. Compare πονηρός.

Root Family

σαπρός (sapros) — rot, decay, spoil, corruption

Root σαπρ- to rot, to decay, to spoil

Word Forms

3 distinct forms

SIDANCE Surface Transliteration Morphology Common SIBI-P1 SIBI-P2 Occurrences
G4550-02 σαπρὸν sapron ADJ.A NOM N SG bad rotten thing rotten 6
G4550-01 σαπρὰ sapra ADJ.S ACC N PL bad rotten things rotten things 1
G4550-03 σαπρὸς sapros ADJ.A NOM M SG corrupt rotten rotten 1

Occurrences in Scripture

8 occurrences

SIDANCE Reference Word Transliteration Morphology Common SIBI-P1 SIBI-P2
G4550-02 Matthew 7:17 σαπρὸν sapron ADJ.A NOM N SG bad rotten thing rotten
G4550-02 Matthew 7:18 σαπρὸν sapron ADJ.A NOM N SG corrupt rotten thing rotten
G4550-02 Matthew 12:33 σαπρὸν sapron ADJ.P ACC N SG bad rotten thing rotten
G4550-02 Matthew 12:33 σαπρόν sapron-2 ADJ.S ACC M SG bad rotten thing rotten
G4550-01 Matthew 13:48 σαπρὰ sapra ADJ.S ACC N PL bad rotten things rotten things
G4550-02 Luke 6:43 σαπρόν sapron ADJ.A ACC M SG corrupt rotten thing rotten thing
G4550-02 Luke 6:43 σαπρὸν sapron-2 ADJ.A NOM N SG rotten rotten thing rotten thing
G4550-03 Ephesians 4:29 σαπρὸς sapros ADJ.A NOM M SG corrupt rotten rotten
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