Strong G173ἄκανθα
a thorn
- Transliteration
- akantha
- Pronunciation
- ak'-an-thah
- Morphology
- Greek Noun (Feminine)
Definition
Probably from the same as G188; a thorn: - thorn.
Detailed definition
ἄκανθα, -ης, ἡ
(ἀκή, a point), [in LXX chiefly for קוֹץ, also for סִיר, שַׁיִת, etc.;]
a prickly plant, thorn, brier; in NT always pl.: Mat.7:16 13:7,22 27:29, Mrk.4:7,18, Luk.6:44 8:7,14, Jhn.19:2, Heb.6:8 (see MM, VGT, see word).†
(AS)
(ἀκή, a point), [in LXX chiefly for קוֹץ, also for סִיר, שַׁיִת, etc.;]
a prickly plant, thorn, brier; in NT always pl.: Mat.7:16 13:7,22 27:29, Mrk.4:7,18, Luk.6:44 8:7,14, Jhn.19:2, Heb.6:8 (see MM, VGT, see word).†
(AS)
In the Bible
Strong G173 appears in 11 verses of the KJV.
Translated in the KJV by
- thorn11
First verses
- Matthew 7:16Ye shall know them by their fruits. Do men gather grapes of thorns, or figs of thistles?
- Matthew 13:7And some fell among thorns; and the thorns sprung up, and choked them:
- Matthew 13:22He also that received seed among the thorns is he that heareth the word; and the care of this world, and the deceitfulness of riches, choke the word, and he becometh unfruitful.
- Matthew 27:29And when they had platted a crown of thorns, they put it upon his head, and a reed in his right hand: and they bowed the knee before him, and mocked him, saying, Hail, King of the Jews!
- Mark 4:7And some fell among thorns, and the thorns grew up, and choked it, and it yielded no fruit.
- Mark 4:18And these are they which are sown among thorns; such as hear the word,
- Luke 6:44For every tree is known by his own fruit. For of thorns men do not gather figs, nor of a bramble bush gather they grapes.
- Luke 8:7And some fell among thorns; and the thorns sprang up with it, and choked it.
- Luke 8:14And that which fell among thorns are they, which, when they have heard, go forth, and are choked with cares and riches and pleasures of this life, and bring no fruit to perfection.
- John 19:2And the soldiers platted a crown of thorns, and put it on his head, and they put on him a purple robe,
- Hebrews 6:8But that which beareth thorns and briers is rejected, and is nigh unto cursing; whose end is to be burned.
Occurrences by book
Related words
Word family
Detailed Greek dictionary
ἄκανθ-α [ᾰκ], ης, ἡ,
(ἀκή A) thorn, prickle, [Refs 4th c.BC+ (4th c.BC: Aristoteles Philosophus “de Partibus Animalium” 655a19, 4th-3rd c.BC: Theophrastus Philosophus “Historia Plantarum” 6.1.3: hence,)]
1 any thorny or prickly plant (in [Refs 8th c.BC+ (8th c.BC: Odyssea Homerus Epicus “Odyssey” 5.328 (_plural_))] probably Eryngium campestre), [Refs 5th c.BC+ (5th c.BC: Sophocles Tragicus “Fragmenta” 718, 4th c.BC: Eubulus Comicus 107.19, 3rd c.BC: Theocritus Poeta Bucolicus 1.132, etc.: proverbial, οὐ γὰρ ἄκανθαι)] no thistles, i.e. 'an easy job', [Refs 5th c.BC+ (5th-6th c.BC: Aristophanes Comicus “Fragmenta” 272, 483:)] —special kinds: ἄ. Ἀραβική smaller milk-thistle, Notobasis syriaca, [Refs 1st c.AD+ (1st c.AD: Dioscorides (Dioscurides) Medicus 3.13)]; ἄ. βασιλική fish-thistle, Cnicus Acarna, [Refs 4th c.BC+ (4th-3rd c.BC: Theophrastus Philosophus “de Causis Plantarum” 1.10.5)]; ἄ. Ἰνδική, = Balsamodendron Mukul, [Refs ([prev. author] “HP” 9.1.2)]; ἄ. λευκή Acacia albida, [Refs ([prev. work] 4.2.8)]; ={ἄ. βασιλική}, [Refs 1st c.AD+ (1st c.AD: Dioscorides (Dioscurides) Medicus 3.12)]; ἄ. λευκὴ τρίοζος, = Euphorbia antiquorum, [Refs 4th c.BC+ (4th-3rd c.BC: Theophrastus Philosophus “Historia Plantarum” 4.4.12)]; ἄ. ἀκανώδης (probably) cornthistle, Carduus arvensis, [Refs ([prev. work] 10.6.)]
2 of other plants, e.g. Spanish broom, Spartium junceum, [Refs 4th c.BC+ (1st c.BC-1st c.AD: Strabo Geographus 3.5.10:— ={ἀκακία, ἄ. Αἰγυπτία}, 4th-3rd c.BC: Theophrastus Philosophus “Historia Plantarum” 9.1.2. compare “POxy.” 1188.10 (13 4th-5th c.BC: Aeschylus Tragicus 4th c.BC: Demosthenes Orator), etc.)]; ἄ. μέλαινα Acacia arabica, [LXX+5th c.BC+ (4th-3rd c.BC: Theophrastus Philosophus “Historia Plantarum” 4.2.8, compare 5th c.BC: Herodotus Historicus 2.96, 2nd c.AD(?): Theodotion LXX.Isa.41.19)]; ἄ. διψάς, = Acacia tortilis, [Refs 4th c.BC+ (4th-3rd c.BC: Theophrastus Philosophus “Historia Plantarum” 4.7.1.)]
3 central flowering-bud of χαμαιλέων λευκός,[Refs 1st c.AD+ ([prev. work] 9.12.1, 1st c.AD: Dioscorides (Dioscurides) Medicus 3.8.)]
4 ={ἄκανθος}, Ps.-[Refs 1st c.AD+ (1st c.AD: Dioscorides (Dioscurides) Medicus 3.17.)]
5 in plural, prickles or spines of the hedgehog and of certain fish, Ion Trag.38, [Refs 4th c.BC+ (4th c.BC: Aristoteles Philosophus “Historia Animalium” 530b8.)]
6 backbone or spine of fish, [Refs 5th c.BC+ (4th-5th c.BC: Aeschylus Tragicus “Fragmenta - American Journal of Philology” 275, 5th-6th c.BC: Aristophanes Comicus “Vespae” 969, 2nd c.AD: Alexander Rhetor 110.11, +others)]; of serpents, [Refs 5th c.BC+ (5th c.BC: Herodotus Historicus 2.75, 3rd c.BC: Theocritus Poeta Bucolicus 24.32, 3rd c.BC: Apollonius Rhodius Epicus 4.150)]; of men, [Refs 5th c.BC+ (5th c.BC: Herodotus Historicus 4.72, 5th c.BC: Hippocrates Medicus “περὶ ἄρθρων ἐμβολῆς” 14, 5th c.BC: Euripides Tragicus “Electra” 492, 4th c.BC: Aristoteles Philosophus “de Partibus Animalium” 654a26, 2nd c.AD: Galenus Medicus 2.451, etc.)]; improperly used of mammalia, accusative to [Refs 4th c.BC+ (4th c.BC: Aristoteles Philosophus “Anthologia Graeca” 0.98a22)]; of the spinous processes of the vertebrae, [Refs 2nd c.AD+ (2nd c.AD: Galenus Medicus 2.758)]; χονδρώδεις ἄ. false ribs, [Refs 2nd c.AD+ (2nd c.AD: Rufus Medicus “Oss.” 25.)]
7 metaphorically in plural, thorny questions, [Refs 2nd c.AD+ (2nd c.AD: Lucianus Sophista “Hes.” 5, 2nd c.AD: Athenaeus Epigrammaticus 3.97d.)]
(ἀκή A) thorn, prickle, [Refs 4th c.BC+ (4th c.BC: Aristoteles Philosophus “de Partibus Animalium” 655a19, 4th-3rd c.BC: Theophrastus Philosophus “Historia Plantarum” 6.1.3: hence,)]
1 any thorny or prickly plant (in [Refs 8th c.BC+ (8th c.BC: Odyssea Homerus Epicus “Odyssey” 5.328 (_plural_))] probably Eryngium campestre), [Refs 5th c.BC+ (5th c.BC: Sophocles Tragicus “Fragmenta” 718, 4th c.BC: Eubulus Comicus 107.19, 3rd c.BC: Theocritus Poeta Bucolicus 1.132, etc.: proverbial, οὐ γὰρ ἄκανθαι)] no thistles, i.e. 'an easy job', [Refs 5th c.BC+ (5th-6th c.BC: Aristophanes Comicus “Fragmenta” 272, 483:)] —special kinds: ἄ. Ἀραβική smaller milk-thistle, Notobasis syriaca, [Refs 1st c.AD+ (1st c.AD: Dioscorides (Dioscurides) Medicus 3.13)]; ἄ. βασιλική fish-thistle, Cnicus Acarna, [Refs 4th c.BC+ (4th-3rd c.BC: Theophrastus Philosophus “de Causis Plantarum” 1.10.5)]; ἄ. Ἰνδική, = Balsamodendron Mukul, [Refs ([prev. author] “HP” 9.1.2)]; ἄ. λευκή Acacia albida, [Refs ([prev. work] 4.2.8)]; ={ἄ. βασιλική}, [Refs 1st c.AD+ (1st c.AD: Dioscorides (Dioscurides) Medicus 3.12)]; ἄ. λευκὴ τρίοζος, = Euphorbia antiquorum, [Refs 4th c.BC+ (4th-3rd c.BC: Theophrastus Philosophus “Historia Plantarum” 4.4.12)]; ἄ. ἀκανώδης (probably) cornthistle, Carduus arvensis, [Refs ([prev. work] 10.6.)]
2 of other plants, e.g. Spanish broom, Spartium junceum, [Refs 4th c.BC+ (1st c.BC-1st c.AD: Strabo Geographus 3.5.10:— ={ἀκακία, ἄ. Αἰγυπτία}, 4th-3rd c.BC: Theophrastus Philosophus “Historia Plantarum” 9.1.2. compare “POxy.” 1188.10 (13 4th-5th c.BC: Aeschylus Tragicus 4th c.BC: Demosthenes Orator), etc.)]; ἄ. μέλαινα Acacia arabica, [LXX+5th c.BC+ (4th-3rd c.BC: Theophrastus Philosophus “Historia Plantarum” 4.2.8, compare 5th c.BC: Herodotus Historicus 2.96, 2nd c.AD(?): Theodotion LXX.Isa.41.19)]; ἄ. διψάς, = Acacia tortilis, [Refs 4th c.BC+ (4th-3rd c.BC: Theophrastus Philosophus “Historia Plantarum” 4.7.1.)]
3 central flowering-bud of χαμαιλέων λευκός,[Refs 1st c.AD+ ([prev. work] 9.12.1, 1st c.AD: Dioscorides (Dioscurides) Medicus 3.8.)]
4 ={ἄκανθος}, Ps.-[Refs 1st c.AD+ (1st c.AD: Dioscorides (Dioscurides) Medicus 3.17.)]
5 in plural, prickles or spines of the hedgehog and of certain fish, Ion Trag.38, [Refs 4th c.BC+ (4th c.BC: Aristoteles Philosophus “Historia Animalium” 530b8.)]
6 backbone or spine of fish, [Refs 5th c.BC+ (4th-5th c.BC: Aeschylus Tragicus “Fragmenta - American Journal of Philology” 275, 5th-6th c.BC: Aristophanes Comicus “Vespae” 969, 2nd c.AD: Alexander Rhetor 110.11, +others)]; of serpents, [Refs 5th c.BC+ (5th c.BC: Herodotus Historicus 2.75, 3rd c.BC: Theocritus Poeta Bucolicus 24.32, 3rd c.BC: Apollonius Rhodius Epicus 4.150)]; of men, [Refs 5th c.BC+ (5th c.BC: Herodotus Historicus 4.72, 5th c.BC: Hippocrates Medicus “περὶ ἄρθρων ἐμβολῆς” 14, 5th c.BC: Euripides Tragicus “Electra” 492, 4th c.BC: Aristoteles Philosophus “de Partibus Animalium” 654a26, 2nd c.AD: Galenus Medicus 2.451, etc.)]; improperly used of mammalia, accusative to [Refs 4th c.BC+ (4th c.BC: Aristoteles Philosophus “Anthologia Graeca” 0.98a22)]; of the spinous processes of the vertebrae, [Refs 2nd c.AD+ (2nd c.AD: Galenus Medicus 2.758)]; χονδρώδεις ἄ. false ribs, [Refs 2nd c.AD+ (2nd c.AD: Rufus Medicus “Oss.” 25.)]
7 metaphorically in plural, thorny questions, [Refs 2nd c.AD+ (2nd c.AD: Lucianus Sophista “Hes.” 5, 2nd c.AD: Athenaeus Epigrammaticus 3.97d.)]