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βραδύς

bradýs

G1021 predicate adjective

SILEX Entry

Root βραδ- slow, late, hesitant

Definition

Fundamentally denotes 'slow' in movement or action; by extension, slow in perception, emotion, or response. The word describes both literal slowness in physical movement and metaphorical slowness such as being slow to believe, slow to understand, or slow to act. In certain contexts, it can have the nuance of being hesitant or lacking alacrity, and may even carry a mildly negative sense of being sluggish or irresolute.

Semantic Range

slow (in movement or action), slow (in understanding), dull (in perception), hesitant, tardy, without promptness

Root / Etymology

Etymology uncertain. The word appears to be an adjective formed with the common Greek adjectival ending -ύς (-ys). No secure Indo-European root has been identified, and there is no clear derivation from an attested Greek verb or noun; some have suggested a connection to βραδύτης (slowness), but this also lacks a clear etymological pathway.

Historical & Contextual Notes

Attested since Classical Greek, βραδύς primarily connotes literal slowness. In later Hellenistic and Koine usage, its metaphorical sense becomes more prominent—for example, being 'slow to believe' (Luke 24:25), 'slow to speak' (James 1:19), or 'dull' (in mental or spiritual responsiveness). In contrast to ἀργός (idle, lazy) or νωθρός (sluggish, apathetic), βραδύς more specifically highlights pace or readiness rather than inherent idleness or lack of capacity. Standard English translations often render the term as 'slow,' but in some contexts, 'dull,' 'reluctant,' or 'unresponsive' may be equally appropriate. The term does not carry medical connotations of dullness or retardation, nor does it imply moral judgment except insofar as slowness is contextually undesirable. In the Septuagint and New Testament, the word is primarily used in figurative speech relating to reaction or understanding, not physical movement.

Original Strong's Gloss (1890)

of uncertain affinity; slow; figuratively, dull:--slow.

Root Family

βραδύς (bradys) — slow, late, hesitant

Word Forms

2 distinct forms

SIDANCE Surface Transliteration Morphology Common SIBI-P1 Occurrences
G1021-02 βραδὺς bradus ADJ.P NOM M SG slow slow 2
G1021-01 βραδεῖς bradeis ADJ.S VOC M PL slow O slow ones 1

Occurrences in Scripture

3 total occurrences

SIDANCE Reference Word Transliteration Morphology Common SIBI-P1
G1021-01 Luke 24:25 βραδεῖς bradeis ADJ.S VOC M PL slow O slow ones
G1021-02 James 1:19 βραδὺς bradus ADJ.P NOM M SG slow slow
G1021-02 James 1:19 βραδὺς bradus-2 ADJ.P NOM M SG slow slow
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