χοῖνιξ
choînix
G5518 noun
SILEX Entry
Definition
A dry measure of capacity, roughly equivalent to about one quart or a little less than a liter in contemporary terms; specifically denotes the amount of grain or dry produce sufficient for one person's daily ration in Greco-Roman contexts. By extension, can denote a small measured amount (especially of grain) used in commerce and daily life.
Semantic Range
small dry measure, daily ration, standard quantity (grain), unit for trade or subsistence
Root / Etymology
Origin uncertain; possibly connected to non-Greek (e.g., Anatolian or Eastern Mediterranean) loan terms for standardized measures, but no clear derivation is established in existing Greek lexical material.
Historical & Contextual Notes
χoῖνιξ is attested from the Classical period and is commonly encountered in Hellenistic and Roman administrative and economic texts, including inscriptions, papyri, and literary sources. In everyday use, it referred to a small dry measure, most frequently of grain, sufficient to support one person per day, and thus played a role in references to subsistence, wages, and famine. In Revelation 6:6—the only occurrence in the New Testament—the word evokes scarcity and subsistence-level rationing. The term does not correspond to any standard English unit, and is sometimes rendered 'quart,' 'measure,' or left untranslated in English Bibles. The English 'chœnix' is a transliteration, not a translation, and can obscure its concrete economic and social context. χοῖνιξ differs from larger Greek dry measures like the μόδιος (modios) or σατῶ (saton), emphasizing its use as a small, daily measure rather than for large-scale storage or trade. Occurs in non-literary sources such as Egyptian Ptolemaic papyri, where the precise volume may range from about 0.87 to 1.25 liters, varying regionally and over time.
Original Strong's Gloss (1890)
of uncertain derivation; a chœnix or certain dry measure:--measure.
Root Family
χοῖνιξ (choînix) — measure, dry capacity, ration
Word Forms
2 distinct forms
| SIDANCE | Surface | Transliteration | Morphology | Common | SIBI-P1 | SIBI-P2 | Occurrences |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
G5518-01 |
χοίνικες | choinikes | N NOM F PL |
quarts | dry measures | dry measures | 1 |
G5518-02 |
χοῖνιξ | choinix | N NOM F SG |
a quart | a dry ration-measure | a dry ration-measure | 1 |
Occurrences in Scripture
2 occurrences
| SIDANCE | Reference | Word | Transliteration | Morphology | Common | SIBI-P1 | SIBI-P2 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
G5518-02 |
Revelation 6:6 | χοῖνιξ | choinix | N NOM F SG |
a quart | a dry ration-measure | a dry ration-measure |
G5518-01 |
Revelation 6:6 | χοίνικες | choinikes | N NOM F PL |
quarts | dry measures | dry measures |