ἔκγονον
ékgonon
G1549 substantive adjective
SILEX Entry
Definition
That which is born from or springs from another; specifically, a descendant, offspring, or progeny. The term can refer to any descendant in one's lineage, not limited to an immediate grandchild but encompassing all generations beyond the parent, including grandchildren and, less commonly, nephews (in the broader sense of a descendant within an extended family). The semantic range covers both individual and collective senses, depending on context.
Semantic Range
descendant, offspring, progeny, child, grandchild, member of the next generation, issue, occasionally nephew in extended sense
Root / Etymology
From the preposition ἐκ (out of, from) and the verbal root γον- (from γίγνομαι, to become, to be born). ἔκγονον is a neuter substantive meaning 'that which has been born from' or 'one sprung from.' Related to the noun γόνος (offspring, child).
Historical & Contextual Notes
In classical and Hellenistic Greek, ἔκγονον primarily signifies a descendant or offspring, whether direct (child, grandchild) or more remote, and may be used collectively for descendants. In the Septuagint, it is often used in genealogical or inheritance contexts to denote offspring of any generation, sometimes translating Hebrew terms for 'descendants' (e.g., זֶרַע, ben/benei). In the New Testament and wider Koine sources, the use of ἔκγονον is rare but when it occurs, it retains the general sense of descendant or offspring. Although later English translations sometimes render the term as 'grandchild' or 'nephew,' such renderings are interpretive and do not fully reflect the breadth of the Greek term, which is not limited to one specific familial relationship. The word does not carry specific religious or ethnic connotations but is a general term for one’s progeny or descendants. It is conceptually broader than υἱός (son) or θυγάτηρ (daughter), as it emphasizes descent more generally rather than the specific parent-child relationship.
Original Strong's Gloss (1890)
neuter of a derivative of a compound of ἐκ and γίνομαι; a descendant, i.e. (specially) grandchild:--nephew.
Root Family
γον- (goneús) — to beget, to produce offspring, to bring into being
| Strong's | Lemma | SIBI-P1 |
|---|---|---|
| G1118 | γονεύς | parents |
Word Forms
1 distinct form
| SIDANCE | Surface | Transliteration | Morphology | Common | SIBI-P1 | SIBI-P2 | Occurrences |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
G1549-01 |
ἔκγονα | ekgona | ADJ.S ACC N PL |
grandchildren | descendants | descendants | 1 |
Occurrences in Scripture
1 occurrence
| SIDANCE | Reference | Word | Transliteration | Morphology | Common | SIBI-P1 | SIBI-P2 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
G1549-01 |
1 Timothy 5:4 | ἔκγονα | ekgona | ADJ.S ACC N PL |
grandchildren | descendants | descendants |