χολή
cholḗ
G5521 noun
SILEX Entry
Definition
A yellow-green, bitter fluid (bile) produced by the liver; in extended usage, something extremely bitter or poisonous either physically (a toxic substance) or metaphorically (bitterness of feeling, intense rancor). In ancient Greek and Hellenistic contexts, primarily referred to the bodily fluid but could also symbolize bitterness and anger. In medical and literary usage, may denote a substance (such as wormwood or poppy) with a bitter or narcotic effect.
Semantic Range
bile (bodily fluid), bitterness (emotion or sensation), poisonous substance, narcotic or bitter medicinal, figurative bitterness or anger
Root / Etymology
From Greek χολή, usually connected to χλόη (grass, green) due to the greenish color of bile; possibly related to the verb χολόω (to make bitter, to provoke). The precise origin is uncertain but generally associated with terms denoting greenish or bitter substances.
Historical & Contextual Notes
In Classical and Hellenistic Greek, χολή primarily denoted bile, the bitter secretion of the liver in animals and humans. In Hippocratic medical literature, it was one of the bodily humors, associated with temperament and health. The term acquired metaphorical uses to describe intense emotional bitterness or anger. In the Septuagint and New Testament, χολή sometimes transferred its meaning onto other bitter flavors or substances, especially those symbolizing suffering or poison (e.g., the offering to Jesus on the cross in Matthew 27:34). English Bible tradition translates χολή as 'gall,' often implying a poisonous or intensely bitter substance, which may narrow its broader Greek sense of any strong bitterness or bile. Later patristic writers continue both the literal and figurative meanings. χολή stands in contrast with other Greek terms for bitterness such as πικρία (bitterness as an emotion) and δηλητήριον (specific poison).
Original Strong's Gloss (1890)
feminine of an equivalent perhaps akin to the same as 5514 (from the greenish hue); "gall" or bile, i.e. (by analogy) poison or an anodyne (wormwood, poppy, etc.):--gall.
Root Family
χολή (cholē) — bile, bitterness, poison
Word Forms
2 distinct forms
| SIDANCE | Surface | Transliteration | Morphology | Common | SIBI-P1 | SIBI-P2 | Occurrences |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
G5521-02 |
χολῆς | choles | N GEN F SG |
gall | of bile | bile | 1 |
G5521-01 |
χολὴν | cholen | N ACC F SG |
gall | bitter bile | bitter bile | 1 |
Occurrences in Scripture
2 occurrences
| SIDANCE | Reference | Word | Transliteration | Morphology | Common | SIBI-P1 | SIBI-P2 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
G5521-02 |
Matthew 27:34 | χολῆς | choles | N GEN F SG |
gall | of bile | bile |
G5521-01 |
Acts 8:23 | χολὴν | cholen | N ACC F SG |
gall | bitter bile | bitter bile |