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ὑγιαίνω

hygiaínō

G5198 verb

SILEX Entry

Definition

To be healthy, to be in a state of soundness; primarily denotes physical wholeness or health, but can also refer figuratively to integrity or soundness in other respects—such as moral or doctrinal soundness. In medical or general contexts, refers to bodily health. In transferred or metaphorical uses, particularly in the New Testament, refers to what is 'sound' or 'uncorrupted' (e.g., true or correct teaching or judgment).

Semantic Range

to be in good health, to be physically sound, to recover health, to be uncorrupted, to be sound in teaching, to be correct or orthodox (esp. in doctrine), to be morally upright

Root / Etymology

From the adjective ὑγιής ('healthy, sound'), which is related to a common Indo-European root for health and wholeness.

Historical & Contextual Notes

In classical Greek, ὑγιαίνω was regularly used with reference to physical health—in medical, poetic, and everyday contexts. In Koine Greek, including the New Testament and the Septuagint, the physical sense persists, but the verb also acquires important metaphorical uses, especially in reference to teachings, doctrines, or words that are 'sound' or 'healthy,' i.e., correct or orthodox (e.g., ὑγιαίνοντες λόγοι, 'sound words'). This reflects a broader semantic development: 'health' becomes an image for integrity and correctness, especially in moral or doctrinal contexts. English translations typically render the physical sense as 'be well' or 'be in health,' and the figurative sense as 'sound' or 'wholesome,' particularly regarding teaching, but these renderings sometimes obscure the physical/metaphorical layering present in the Greek. The word does not possess specifically religious overtones in itself, but its metaphorical use for true or correct teaching becomes especially prominent in early Christian and other Hellenistic Jewish writings.

Translation Consistency

primary "be sound" 0 occurrences

Ὑγιαίνω denotes a stative condition of soundness—physical health or figurative integrity (e.g., sound doctrine). Using “be sound” captures both the bodily/medical sense and the frequent NT sense of being correct or uncorrupted in teaching or moral standing. A plain “sound” as a bare verb would be misleading (it has other senses), while “be sound” consistently conveys the intended stative meaning across all forms.

Alternatives (12 occurrences):
"sound" (9x) "healthy" (1x) "those being sound" (1x) "health" (1x)

Original Strong's Gloss (1890)

from ὑγιής; to have sound health, i.e. be well (in body); figuratively, to be uncorrupt (true in doctrine):--be in health, (be safe and) sound, (be) whole(-some).

Root Family

ὑγιαίνω (hygiaínō) — to be healthy, to be sound, to be whole

Root ὑγι- to be healthy, to be sound, to be whole

Word Forms

9 distinct forms

SIDANCE Surface Transliteration Morphology Common SIBI-P1 SIBI-P2 Occurrences
G5198-07 ὑγιαινούσῃ ugiainouse V PRS ACT PTCP DAT F SG sound to a being healthy to her being sound 3
G5198-02 ὑγιαίνοντα ugiainonta V PRS ACT PTCP ACC M SG healthy being sound being sound 2
G5198-04 ὑγιαίνοντες ugiainontes V PRS ACT PTCP NOM M PL healthy being sound being healthy 1
G5198-06 ὑγιαίνωσιν ugiainosin V PRS ACT SUBJ 3P PL they may be sound they may be sound they may be sound 1
G5198-05 ὑγιαινόντων ugiainonton V PRS ACT PTCP GEN M PL sound of those being sound sound 1
G5198-09 ὑγιαίνουσι ugiainousi V PRS ACT PTCP DAT M PL sound to those being sound to sound 1
G5198-01 ὑγιαίνειν ugiainein V PRS ACT INF to be in health to be sound to be in health 1
G5198-03 ὑγιαίνοντας ugiainontas V PRS ACT PTCP ACC M PL sound those being sound those being sound 1
G5198-08 ὑγιαινούσης ugiainouses V PRS ACT PTCP GEN F SG sound of being sound being sound 1

Occurrences in Scripture

12 occurrences

SIDANCE Reference Word Transliteration Morphology Common SIBI-P1 SIBI-P2
G5198-04 Luke 5:31 ὑγιαίνοντες ugiainontes V PRS ACT PTCP NOM M PL healthy being sound being healthy
G5198-02 Luke 7:10 ὑγιαίνοντα ugiainonta V PRS ACT PTCP ACC M SG healthy being sound being sound
G5198-02 Luke 15:27 ὑγιαίνοντα ugiainonta V PRS ACT PTCP ACC M SG safe being sound being sound
G5198-07 1 Timothy 1:10 ὑγιαινούσῃ ugiainouse V PRS ACT PTCP DAT F SG sound to a being healthy to her being sound
G5198-09 1 Timothy 6:3 ὑγιαίνουσι ugiainousi V PRS ACT PTCP DAT M PL sound to those being sound to sound
G5198-05 2 Timothy 1:13 ὑγιαινόντων ugiainonton V PRS ACT PTCP GEN M PL sound of those being sound sound
G5198-08 2 Timothy 4:3 ὑγιαινούσης ugiainouses V PRS ACT PTCP GEN F SG sound of being sound being sound
G5198-07 Titus 1:9 ὑγιαινούσῃ ugiainouse V PRS ACT PTCP DAT F SG sound to a being healthy to her being sound
G5198-06 Titus 1:13 ὑγιαίνωσιν ugiainosin V PRS ACT SUBJ 3P PL they may be sound they may be sound they may be sound
G5198-07 Titus 2:1 ὑγιαινούσῃ ugiainouse V PRS ACT PTCP DAT F SG sound to a being healthy to her being sound
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