ἐκκολυμβάω
ekkolymbáō
G1579 verb
SILEX Entry
Definition
to swim away from or out of (something), emphasizing the act of departing from a location or situation by swimming; extends to the sense of escaping from a particular setting, primarily through the act of swimming. The term denotes both the physical action of swimming and the notion of moving to safety or escape through this means.
Semantic Range
to swim out, to swim away from, to escape by swimming; to reach safety by swimming
Root / Etymology
Formed from the preposition ἐκ ('out of, from') and the verb κολυμβάω ('to swim'); meaning is compositional—'to swim out (of)'.
Historical & Contextual Notes
ἐκκολυμβάω is a late and rare compound verb, occuring only in Acts 27:43 in the New Testament, where it describes persons escaping a shipwreck by swimming to shore. The verb is not found in classical Greek and is characteristic of Koine formation, combining standard prepositional usage (ἐκ, 'out of') with a common verb (κολυμβάω, 'to swim') to form a specialized, context-driven meaning ('swim out' or 'swim away'). In its sole biblical context, it connotes not just swimming, but escaping danger through swimming. English translations often render it as 'swim out' or 'swim to safety,' though the nuance of 'escape' is embedded in the action rather than explicit in the word's form. The distinction between ἐκκολυμβάω ('swim away from') and the simple κολυμβάω ('to swim') is contextual in Koine texts, with the compound more clearly emphasizing departure or escape from a place. There is little evidence for the term's use outside biblical and related literature, confirming its specialized NT/Koine usage.
Original Strong's Gloss (1890)
from ἐκ and κολυμβάω; to escape by swimming:--swim out.
Root Family
ἐκκολυμβάω (ekkolymbaō) — to swim, to swim out, to escape by swimming
Word Forms
1 distinct form
| SIDANCE | Surface | Transliteration | Morphology | Common | SIBI-P1 | Occurrences |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
G1579-01 |
ἐκκολυμβήσας | ekkolumbesas | V AOR ACT PTCP NOM M SG |
swimming out | having swum out | 1 |
Occurrences in Scripture
1 total occurrence
| SIDANCE | Reference | Word | Transliteration | Morphology | Common | SIBI-P1 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
G1579-01 |
Acts 27:42 | ἐκκολυμβήσας | ekkolumbesas | V AOR ACT PTCP NOM M SG |
swimming out | having swum out |