χειροτονέω
cheirotonéō
G5500 verb
SILEX Entry
Definition
To appoint or select, particularly by a show of hands or some form of communal assent; to designate a person for an office or responsibility, often with some element of public recognition or symbolic gesture. More broadly, to choose, elect, or assign someone to a role, whether formally or informally; in later contexts, may carry the sense of ordain as used in ecclesiastical settings.
Semantic Range
to choose by show of hands, to vote for, to appoint or designate (to a role or office), to select (in general), to ordain (in later or ecclesiastical contexts)
Root / Etymology
From χειρ (hand) and τείνω (to stretch out), literally 'to stretch out the hand.' The word originally described the act of raising the hand as a sign of agreement or vote in an assembly, and by extension came to mean appointing or electing by such means. No clear connection with non-Greek sources; usage develops entirely within Greek.
Historical & Contextual Notes
In classical Greek, χειροτονέω primarily referred to the act of voting by raising a hand (cf. Xenophon, Aristophanes), especially in civic or assembly contexts—hence its primary semantic base in public selection or election. In Hellenistic and Koine Greek (including the New Testament and early Christian literature), the term expands to refer more generally to the appointment or designation of persons for particular roles, often but not always involving some visible or communal recognition (such as the laying on of hands or acclamation by a group). In the Septuagint, the verb is rare but conveys the act of designating or assigning. In the New Testament (e.g., Acts 14:23, 2 Cor 8:19), its sense is mainly of appointing or designating someone to a task or office; the English translation 'ordain' is often used in ecclesiastical tradition, but the Greek does not necessarily carry the later Christian sense of ordination as a sacramental act. Instead, it reflects a communal process of designation, whether by vote, choice, or consensus. Modern translations sometimes obscure the participatory or communal aspect of the verb's meaning.
Original Strong's Gloss (1890)
from a comparative of χείρ and (to stretch); to be a hand-reacher or voter (by raising the hand), i.e. (generally) to select or appoint:--choose, ordain.
Root Family
χειροτον- (cheirotonéō) — to stretch out the hand, to appoint, to select, to choose
Word Forms
2 distinct forms
| SIDANCE | Surface | Transliteration | Morphology | Common | SIBI-P1 | SIBI-P2 | Occurrences |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
G5500-01 |
χειροτονήσαντες | cheirotonesantes | V AOR ACT PTCP NOM M PL |
having appointed | having appointed by raised hand | having appointed by raised hand | 1 |
G5500-02 |
χειροτονηθεὶς | cheirotonetheis | V AOR PASS PTCP NOM M SG |
appointed | having been appointed | having been appointed | 1 |
Occurrences in Scripture
2 occurrences
| SIDANCE | Reference | Word | Transliteration | Morphology | Common | SIBI-P1 | SIBI-P2 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
G5500-01 |
Acts 14:23 | χειροτονήσαντες | cheirotonesantes | V AOR ACT PTCP NOM M PL |
having appointed | having appointed by raised hand | having appointed by raised hand |
G5500-02 |
2 Corinthians 8:19 | χειροτονηθεὶς | cheirotonetheis | V AOR PASS PTCP NOM M SG |
appointed | having been appointed | having been appointed |