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ὕδωρ

hýdōr

G5204 noun

SILEX Entry

Definition

Water; primarily the natural liquid composed of H₂O, with semantic range extending to any liquid substance in certain contexts, and figuratively denoting vitality, cleansing, life, or abundance. Used both in literal senses (physical water, rainwater, bodies of water) and in metaphorical or symbolic contexts (purification, spiritual life, source of refreshment). May refer to life-sustaining liquid in cosmological, ritual, and every day settings.

Semantic Range

natural water, any liquid, rain, river or sea water, potable water, ritual or purificatory water, source of life or refreshment (figurative), abundance (figurative), spiritual cleansing (figurative)

Root / Etymology

From the root ὑδ- (hyd-), related to the Proto-Indo-European *wódr̥, cognate with Latin 'unda' (wave), English 'water', Sanskrit 'udán'. The noun ὕδωρ is ancient and well attested across Indo-European languages. The suggested connection to ὑετός (rain) reflects only a general semantic field, not direct derivation.

Historical & Contextual Notes

ὕδωρ occurs widely in classical, Hellenistic, and Koine Greek to denote natural water (streams, rain, seas, drinking water) and is used frequently in both the Septuagint and New Testament. In ritual and symbolic language, particularly in the New Testament, ὕδωρ carries metaphorical senses relating to purification (e.g., baptism), spiritual sustenance, and eschatological life, though these are developed from its primary material meaning. Unlike ποταμός (river) or θάλασσα (sea), ὕδωρ refers to the substance itself, not a particular body of water. English translations typically render ὕδωρ as 'water', a broad equivalent, but may obscure figurative or cultic nuances present in some Greek contexts. The word's usage remains consistent from Homeric through Roman antiquity, with flexibility in poetic, ritual, and prosaic registers.

Translation Consistency

primary "water" 78 occurrences

Most natural and common English equivalent for ὕδωρ across literal and figurative uses. It covers the full SILEX range (literal water, any liquid, bodies of water, rain, ritual/purificatory water, and figurative senses of life, cleansing, refreshment, abundance). ‘Water’ is the frequent rendering in the corpus and is more natural than the plural form ‘waters’ or the prepositional ‘of’.

✓ All renderings match approved senses

Original Strong's Gloss (1890)

from the base of ὑετός; water (as if rainy) literally or figuratively:--water.

Root Family

ὕδωρ (hydōr) — water, liquid

Root ὑδ- water, liquid

Word Forms

6 distinct forms

SIDANCE Surface Transliteration Morphology Common SIBI-P1 SIBI-P2 Occurrences
G5204-06 ὕδωρ udor N ACC N SG water water water 24
G5204-05 ὕδατος udatos N GEN N SG water of water water 23
G5204-03 ὕδατι udati N DAT N SG water in water in water 13
G5204-04 ὑδάτων udaton N GEN N PL waters of waters of waters 12
G5204-02 ὕδατα udata N ACC N PL waters waters waters 5
G5204-01 ὕδασιν udasin N DAT N PL waters to waters waters 1

Occurrences in Scripture

78 occurrences

SIDANCE Reference Word Transliteration Morphology Common SIBI-P1 SIBI-P2
G5204-03 Matthew 3:11 ὕδατι udati N DAT N SG water in water in water
G5204-05 Matthew 3:16 ὕδατος udatos N GEN N SG water of water water
G5204-01 Matthew 8:32 ὕδασιν udasin N DAT N PL waters to waters waters
G5204-02 Matthew 14:28 ὕδατα udata N ACC N PL water waters waters
G5204-02 Matthew 14:29 ὕδατα udata N ACC N PL water waters waters
G5204-06 Matthew 17:15 ὕδωρ udor N ACC N SG water water water
G5204-06 Matthew 27:24 ὕδωρ udor N ACC N SG water water water
G5204-03 Mark 1:8 ὕδατι udati N DAT N SG with water in water in water
G5204-05 Mark 1:10 ὕδατος udatos N GEN N SG water of water water
G5204-02 Mark 9:22 ὕδατα udata N ACC N PL the waters waters waters
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