χρυσόω
chrysóō
G5558 verb
SILEX Entry
Definition
To overlay or adorn with gold, to gild; in extended usage, to ornament or embellish something with golden decorations, often in a literal sense but sometimes metaphorically to indicate making something appear precious or splendid.
Semantic Range
to overlay with gold, to gild, to decorate or ornament with gold, (figuratively) to embellish or make splendid with gold
Root / Etymology
From the noun χρυσός (gold) with the verbal ending -όω, meaning 'to make or treat with gold.'
Historical & Contextual Notes
χρυσόω is attested in classical and Hellenistic Greek with the primary sense of 'to gild'—that is, to cover or overlay an object with a thin layer of gold. This could involve metal, wood, or stone objects, typically to beautify or sanctify them. In the Septuagint and other Koine sources, particularly in religious and cultic contexts, it commonly refers to gilding objects for ritual or decorative purposes (see Exodus 25:11, LXX). In the New Testament, usage is rare but appears metaphorically (e.g., Revelation 17:4, where a woman is 'gilded' with gold, portraying excessive ornamentation). Standard English translations such as 'deck' or 'adorn with gold' may not capture the usual technical sense of the verb, which refers specifically to the act or process of covering with gold rather than mere decoration. Compare with related verbs such as ἀργυρόω (to silver) and στεφανοῦν (to crown, to adorn).
Original Strong's Gloss (1890)
from χρυσός; to gild, i.e. bespangle with golden ornaments:--deck.
Root Family
χρυσ- (chrýseos) — gold, golden, made of gold
| Strong's | Lemma | SIBI-P1 |
|---|---|---|
| G5552 | χρύσεος | golden things |
| G5553 | χρυσίον | to crafted gold |
| G5557 | χρυσός | to/for gold |
Word Forms
1 distinct form
| SIDANCE | Surface | Transliteration | Morphology | Common | SIBI-P1 | SIBI-P2 | Occurrences |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
G5558-01 |
κεχρυσωμένη | kechrusomene | V PRF PASS PTCP NOM F SG |
decked | having been gilded | having been gilded | 2 |
Occurrences in Scripture
2 occurrences
| SIDANCE | Reference | Word | Transliteration | Morphology | Common | SIBI-P1 | SIBI-P2 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
G5558-01 |
Revelation 17:4 | κεχρυσωμένη | kechrusomene | V PRF PASS PTCP NOM F SG |
decked | having been gilded | having been gilded |
G5558-01 |
Revelation 18:16 | κεχρυσωμένη | kechrusomene | V PRF PASS PTCP VOC F SG |
decked | having been gilded | having been gilded |