ἐκκλάω
ekkláō
G1575 verb
SILEX Entry
Definition
To break off from, to sever or detach a part from a larger whole. The word carries the idea of separating or breaking a branch or offshoot from a main source, whether literally (e.g., breaking off a branch from a tree or vine) or figuratively (e.g., removing or excluding an individual or group from a collective). Contextually, it may imply decisive or abrupt separation.
Semantic Range
to break off (a branch), to snap off, to sever from, to detach from a source, to exclude (figuratively), to remove decisively
Root / Etymology
Compound of ἐκ (out of, from) and κλάω (to break). The prefix ἐκ intensifies the sense of 'breaking', emphasizing the rupture from an original whole. Cognate with related Greek verbs involving separation.
Historical & Contextual Notes
The verb ἐκκλάω is found especially in Hellenistic and Koine Greek, including the Greek Old Testament (Septuagint) and the New Testament (notably in Romans 11:17, 19, 20), where it most often refers to breaking off branches—predominantly olive branches—from a cultivated tree. Classical Greek employs κλάω to mean 'break' (especially of tree branches); ἐκκλάω intensifies the action, making the separation more definitive. In the New Testament, the imagery of breaking branches often serves as a metaphor for exclusion or removal from a defined group or privileged status (e.g., Paul's analogy of Israelite branches broken off the cultivated olive tree to make space for others). Traditional English translations typically render it as 'break off,' but may not fully capture the nuance of detachment from an original whole. There is no strong evidence for use outside botanical or metaphoric/figurative detachment imagery in contemporary Koine Greek literature.
Original Strong's Gloss (1890)
from ἐκ and κλάω; to exscind:--break off.
Root Family
κλη- (ekkláō) — to call, to summon, to invite
Word Forms
1 distinct form
| SIDANCE | Surface | Transliteration | Morphology | Common | SIBI-P1 | SIBI-P2 | Occurrences |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
G1575-01 |
ἐξεκλάσθησαν | exeklasthesan | V AOR PASS IND 3P PL |
were broken off | they were broken off | they were broken off | 3 |
Occurrences in Scripture
3 occurrences
| SIDANCE | Reference | Word | Transliteration | Morphology | Common | SIBI-P1 | SIBI-P2 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
G1575-01 |
Romans 11:17 | ἐξεκλάσθησαν | exeklasthesan | V AOR PASS IND 3P PL |
were broken off | they were broken off | they were broken off |
G1575-01 |
Romans 11:19 | ἐξεκλάσθησαν | exeklasthesan | V AOR PASS IND 3P PL |
were broken off | they were broken off | they were broken off |
G1575-01 |
Romans 11:20 | ἐξεκλάσθησαν | exeklasthesan | V AOR PASS IND 3P PL |
they were broken off | they were broken off | they were broken off |