βραδυπλοέω
bradyploéō
G1020 verb
SILEX Entry
Definition
to sail at a slow pace; used of a ship progressing with reduced speed, whether due to adverse winds, sea conditions, or deliberate slowness. The core meaning is movement by sea that is significantly hindered or delayed, as opposed to normal or rapid sailing.
Semantic Range
to sail slowly, to proceed by sea with difficulty, to make slow maritime progress, to be delayed in sailing
Root / Etymology
From βραδύς ('slow') and a lengthened form of πλέω ('to sail'). The verb is a compound indicating slow movement by sea, literally 'to sail slowly.'
Historical & Contextual Notes
Attested exclusively in later Greek, specifically in Hellenistic and Koine periods, and extremely rare — found in the New Testament (Acts 27:7) as a descriptive, technical nautical term. In this context, it emphasizes not just slow progress, but delay and difficulty, especially due to environmental factors like contrary winds. No evidence of use in classical Greek literature; its form reflects the formation of technical compounds in maritime vocabulary during the Hellenistic era. English translations often render as 'sail slowly' or 'make little headway,' which retains the literal meaning but may miss the sense of hampered or arduous progress implicit in maritime contexts of the time.
Original Strong's Gloss (1890)
from βραδύς and a prolonged form of πλέω; to sail slowly:--sail slowly.
Root Family
βραδυπλοέω (bradyploéō) — to be slow, to sail, to make slow maritime progress
Word Forms
1 distinct form
| SIDANCE | Surface | Transliteration | Morphology | Common | SIBI-P1 | Occurrences |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
G1020-01 |
βραδυπλοοῦντες | braduploountes | V PRS ACT PTCP NOM M PL |
sailing slowly | sailing slowly | 1 |
Occurrences in Scripture
1 total occurrence
| SIDANCE | Reference | Word | Transliteration | Morphology | Common | SIBI-P1 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
G1020-01 |
Acts 27:7 | βραδυπλοοῦντες | braduploountes | V PRS ACT PTCP NOM M PL |
sailing slowly | sailing slowly |