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τροφή

trophḗ

G5160 noun

SILEX Entry

Definition

Food or nourishment; that which sustains physical life by being eaten, with a primary focus on the substance necessary for growth, health, or maintenance of an organism. Contextually, it can also refer more broadly to provision or sustenance, and metaphorically, to that which provides spiritual or moral sustenance.

Semantic Range

food, nourishment, sustenance, supply of provisions or rations, metaphorically: spiritual or moral sustenance

Root / Etymology

τροφή is derived from the verb τρέφω (to nourish, feed, rear), indicating an action or process that results in sustenance. The noun form denotes the result of nourishment: that which is eaten or used as maintenance for living beings.

Historical & Contextual Notes

In classical Greek, τροφή commonly refers to physical food, diet, or nourishment, and by extension to provision in a general sense, including necessities required for survival (cf. Xenophon, Herodotus). In the Septuagint, τροφή translates various Hebrew terms for food or grain, emphasizing material sustenance. In Koine usage, including the New Testament, τροφή regularly denotes everyday food, as in Acts 27:33-36, but can extend to mean rations or supplies required for travel or military use. By metaphorical extension in philosophical and Jewish-Greek literature, τροφή may denote spiritual nourishment, as in moral or didactic sustenance (cf. Philo). English translations often render τροφή as "food" or "meat" (in archaic English), but may obscure its broader sense of general sustenance or provision. The term is distinct from βρῶμα (which more specifically means edible food or a particular kind of food), and σιτία (grain, cereals) or σῖτος (wheat), and does not inherently denote religious or ritual food unless contextually specified.

Translation Consistency

primary "food" 14 occurrences

'Food' is the most natural, simple English noun that fits the primary sense (substance eaten to sustain life) and readily covers metaphorical uses (e.g. 'food for the soul'). It matches the typical usage in the SILEX range while remaining clear and idiomatic; more formal synonyms like 'nourishment' or 'sustenance' are accurate but less plain.

Alternatives (2 occurrences):
"nourishing sustenance" (2x)

Original Strong's Gloss (1890)

from τρέφω; nourishment (literally or figuratively); by implication, rations (wages):--food, meat.

Root Family

τροφ- (trophḗ) — to nourish, to sustain, to feed

Root τροφ- to nourish, to sustain, to feed
Strong's Lemma SIBI-P1
G5161 Τρόφιμος Trophimos
G5162 τροφός female nourisher

Word Forms

4 distinct forms

SIDANCE Surface Transliteration Morphology Common SIBI-P1 SIBI-P2 Occurrences
G5160-04 τροφῆς trophes N GEN F SG food of nourishment of food 11
G5160-02 τροφὴ trophe N NOM F SG food nourishing sustenance nourishing sustenance 2
G5160-03 τροφὴν trophen N ACC F SG food nourishment food 2
G5160-01 τροφὰς trophas N ACC F PL food nourishments food 1

Occurrences in Scripture

16 occurrences

SIDANCE Reference Word Transliteration Morphology Common SIBI-P1 SIBI-P2
G5160-02 Matthew 3:4 τροφὴ trophe N NOM F SG food nourishing sustenance nourishing sustenance
G5160-04 Matthew 6:25 τροφῆς trophes N GEN F SG food of nourishment of food
G5160-04 Matthew 10:10 τροφῆς trophes N GEN F SG food of nourishment of food
G5160-03 Matthew 24:45 τροφὴν trophen N ACC F SG food nourishment food
G5160-04 Luke 12:23 τροφῆς trophes N GEN F SG food of nourishment of food
G5160-01 John 4:8 τροφὰς trophas N ACC F PL food nourishments food
G5160-04 Acts 2:46 τροφῆς trophes N GEN F SG of food of nourishment of food
G5160-03 Acts 9:19 τροφὴν trophen N ACC F SG food nourishment food
G5160-04 Acts 14:17 τροφῆς trophes N GEN F SG with food of nourishment with food
G5160-04 Acts 27:33 τροφῆς trophes N GEN F SG food of nourishment of food
G5160-04 Acts 27:34 τροφῆς trophes N GEN F SG food of nourishment of food
G5160-04 Acts 27:36 τροφῆς trophes N GEN F SG food of nourishment of food
G5160-04 Acts 27:38 τροφῆς trophes N GEN F SG of food of nourishment with food
G5160-04 Hebrews 5:12 τροφῆς trophes N GEN F SG food of nourishment of food
G5160-02 Hebrews 5:14 τροφή trophe N NOM F SG food nourishing sustenance nourishing sustenance
G5160-04 James 2:15 τροφῆς trophes N GEN F SG food of nourishment of food
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