σορός
sorós
G4673 noun
SILEX Entry
Definition
A container or receptacle, primarily a coffin or sarcophagus—specifically a receptacle for the dead; in extended use, a bier or box used for carrying a corpse. The primary sense is of a funerary container, but the term may refer more broadly to an object for the transportation or deposit of remains.
Semantic Range
coffin, sarcophagus, funereal receptacle, ossuary, bier, box for the dead, container for remains
Root / Etymology
From the same root as σωρεύω (to heap or pile up); related to σωρός (a heap, pile), indicating something heaped or gathered together, possibly referencing the stacking or piling up of remains or objects within a container. The noun σορός directly reflects the notion of accumulation or collection in a container. Root ultimately from Greek σωρ- (heap, pile).
Historical & Contextual Notes
In classical Greek, σορός most commonly denotes a coffin or sarcophagus, sometimes an ossuary—a container for bones. In some contexts, especially later Greek and Koine, it can also refer to a bier, the device used to carry the dead to burial; this usage relies on analogy rather than primary meaning. The word appears rarely in the New Testament (e.g., Luke 7:14, for the 'bier' used in funeral processions) with that specific extended sense. In the Septuagint and other Hellenistic literature, σορός maintains its funerary connotations and may refer to elaborate stone coffins or simple wooden boxes, depending on the cultural setting. English translations sometimes render the word as 'bier,' but this narrows the meaning compared to its full semantic range; the underlying sense is that of a container for the dead, whether in transport or as a final resting place.
Original Strong's Gloss (1890)
probably akin to the base of σωρεύω; a funereal receptacle (urn, coffin), i.e. (by analogy) a bier:--bier.
Root Family
σωρ- (sorós) — heap, pile, collect, gather
| Strong's | Lemma | SIBI-P1 |
|---|---|---|
| G4987 | σωρεύω | having been heaped up |
Word Forms
1 distinct form
| SIDANCE | Surface | Transliteration | Morphology | Common | SIBI-P1 | SIBI-P2 | Occurrences |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
G4673-01 |
σοροῦ | sorou | N GEN F SG |
bier | of the coffin | bier | 1 |
Occurrences in Scripture
1 occurrence
| SIDANCE | Reference | Word | Transliteration | Morphology | Common | SIBI-P1 | SIBI-P2 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
G4673-01 |
Luke 7:14 | σοροῦ | sorou | N GEN F SG |
bier | of the coffin | bier |