ἄδολος
ádolos
G97 attributive adjective
SILEX Entry
Definition
Without deceit, not containing fraud or guile; by extension, pure, genuine, unmixed, especially with reference to moral or spiritual quality. In figurative contexts, it comes to mean unadulterated or sincere, particularly describing moral character or quality (of words, motives, or substances), free from falsification, impurity, or duplicity.
Semantic Range
undeceitful, without fraud, not deceitful, pure, genuine, unadulterated, sincere (especially of motives or words), uncontaminated, unmixed
Root / Etymology
From the alpha privative (ἀ-, 'not') and δόλος ('deceit, trickery'), forming a compound that negates the notion of deceit or craftiness. The construction is transparent within Greek word-formation patterns.
Historical & Contextual Notes
Ἄδολος appears rarely in pre-Christian Greek, but when it does, it characterizes things or persons as pure, unadulterated, or free from deceit—literal senses that extend metaphorically to uncorrupted motives or sincere actions. In the Septuagint and New Testament, it applies to both literal purity (e.g., unmixed milk or food) and figurative sincerity (e.g., moral uprightness, honest intentions). In 1 Peter 2:2, 'ἄδολον γάλα' (pure milk) refers figuratively to spiritual nourishment free of corruption. English translations often render ἄδολος as 'pure' or 'sincere,' but these may obscure the specific connotation of freedom from deceit or admixture found in the Greek. The word is related to δόλος ('deceit') but functions primarily as its direct negation, emphasizing transparency or integrity. There is overlap with terms like ἀκέραιος ('unmixed, guileless') and ἁπλοῦς ('single, sincere'), but ἄδολος most sharply denotes the absence of deceit or adulteration.
Original Strong's Gloss (1890)
from Α (as a negative particle); and δόλος; undeceitful, i.e. (figuratively) unadulterated:--sincere.
Root Family
ἄ- + δόλος (ádolos) — not deceitful, unadulterated, pure
Word Forms
1 distinct form
| SIDANCE | Surface | Transliteration | Morphology | Common | SIBI-P1 | SIBI-P2 | Occurrences |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
G97-01 |
ἄδολον | adolon | ADJ.A ACC N SG |
pure | unadulterated | unadulterated | 1 |
Occurrences in Scripture
1 occurrence
| SIDANCE | Reference | Word | Transliteration | Morphology | Common | SIBI-P1 | SIBI-P2 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
G97-01 |
1 Peter 2:2 | ἄδολον | adolon | ADJ.A ACC N SG |
pure | unadulterated | unadulterated |