τριετία
trietía
G5148 noun
SILEX Entry
Definition
A period or duration of three years; specifically denotes the span of three consecutive years, often used in reference to intervals or cycles of time, such as official terms, agricultural periods, or intervals between significant events. May also describe periods required for fulfillment or completion of certain practices or obligations that are defined as lasting three years.
Semantic Range
period of three years, duration lasting three years, space of three years, triennium
Root / Etymology
Compound from τρεῖς ('three') and ἔτος ('year'); literally, 'three-year period.' No evidence for significant semantic development beyond its compositional meaning.
Historical & Contextual Notes
τριετία is a rare term in both classical and Koine Greek, but its structure is entirely transparent, constructed like other Greek temporal terms (e.g., ἑπταετία, 'seven years'). In the New Testament (Acts 20:31), it specifically refers to an interval of three years, aligning with the speaker's recollection of a time span. In broader Hellenistic usage, such temporal compounds designate specific, often administrative or ritual, periods. There is no evidence for metaphorical or theological extension of the term; it is strictly chronological. English translations render it as 'space of three years' or 'three years,' which accurately conveys its sense. There is no comparable distinction in Greek between different kinds of year-counting (lunar, solar) possible in some ancient cultures; the term is neutral in this regard. It does not carry cultural, ritual, or theological overtones beyond what the context provides. This distinguishes it from related Greek terms for the third year (τρίτος ἔτος) or for triennial (as an adjective).
Original Strong's Gloss (1890)
from a compound of τρεῖς and ἔτος; a three years' period (triennium):--space of three years.
Root Family
τριετία (trietia) — three-year period, triennium, duration of three years
Word Forms
1 distinct form
| SIDANCE | Surface | Transliteration | Morphology | Common | SIBI-P1 | SIBI-P2 | Occurrences |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
G5148-01 |
τριετίαν | trietian | N ACC F SG |
for three years | a three-year period | a three-year period | 1 |
Occurrences in Scripture
1 occurrence
| SIDANCE | Reference | Word | Transliteration | Morphology | Common | SIBI-P1 | SIBI-P2 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
G5148-01 |
Acts 20:31 | τριετίαν | trietian | N ACC F SG |
for three years | a three-year period | a three-year period |