ἀσύμφωνος
asýmphōnos
G800 predicate adjective
SILEX Entry
Definition
Not being in agreement, discordant; lacking concord or harmony, either in sound or, by extension, in views, purposes, or attitudes. In figurative contexts, the term refers to situations or relationships where individuals or groups are not aligned in opinion or will, emphasizing disharmony or absence of agreement.
Semantic Range
not harmonious, discordant (in music or relationships), incompatible, not in agreement, lacking concord, divergent
Root / Etymology
From the negative prefix ἀ- (a-, 'not') and σύμφωνος (sýmphōnos, 'agreeing', 'harmonious', from σύν, 'with' + φωνή, 'voice'). Thus, the word literally means 'not harmonious' or 'not sounding together'.
Historical & Contextual Notes
The word ἀσύμφωνος is rare in both classical and Koine Greek, but follows a common morphological pattern for forming negatives with ἀ- + adjective. In classical usage, it appears in musical or poetic contexts to indicate lack of harmony or concord. In Koine, especially in the New Testament (e.g., 2 Corinthians 6:15), it is applied figuratively to describe incompatibility or divergent interests, particularly between people or in relationships. The word stands in contrast to σύμφωνος, which denotes agreement or harmonious relationship. Standard English translations often render it 'incompatible', 'in disagreement', or with constructions like 'what accord has... with...', but these may flatten the nuance of active discord or disharmony implied by the term. The musical metaphor latent in the root can be significant when interpreting usage in literary or rhetorical passages.
Original Strong's Gloss (1890)
from Α (as a negative particle) and σύμφωνος; inharmonious (figuratively):--agree not.
Root Family
συμφων- (symphōnéō) — to sound together, to agree
| Strong's | Lemma | SIBI-P1 |
|---|---|---|
| G4856 | συμφωνέω | having agreed |
| G4857 | συμφώνησις | agreement |
| G4858 | συμφωνία | of harmonious sounding-together |
| G4859 | σύμφωνος | of harmonious agreement |
Word Forms
1 distinct form
| SIDANCE | Surface | Transliteration | Morphology | Common | SIBI-P1 | SIBI-P2 | Occurrences |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
G800-01 |
ἀσύμφωνοι | asumphonoi | ADJ.P NOM M PL |
did not agree | discordant ones | discordant ones | 1 |
Occurrences in Scripture
1 occurrence
| SIDANCE | Reference | Word | Transliteration | Morphology | Common | SIBI-P1 | SIBI-P2 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
G800-01 |
Acts 28:25 | ἀσύμφωνοι | asumphonoi | ADJ.P NOM M PL |
did not agree | discordant ones | discordant ones |