αἴτιον
aítion
G158
SILEX Entry
Definition
Neuter noun referring to the cause, ground, or basis of something; the reason or explanation for an event, action, or state. In legal and formal contexts, it may denote the charge or accusation brought against someone or, by extension, an offense or crime. The word primarily conveys 'that which is responsible for a result,' but can also refer to the fault or wrongdoing attributed to someone.
Semantic Range
cause, reason, basis, ground for action, explanation, charge (legal), accusation, offense, fault
Root / Etymology
Derived from the adjective αἴτιος ('responsible for, causative of') with the neuter ending -ον, thus meaning 'that which is causative' or 'the cause.' The root is αἰτ-, related to the idea of causality or attribution.
Historical & Contextual Notes
In classical Greek, αἴτιον appears in philosophical and scientific writing to signify a cause, principle, or explanatory reason (e.g., Aristotle's four causes). In forensic or legal settings, it can denote a formal charge, ground for accusation, or the crime itself, similar to the related term αἰτία. In the Septuagint and New Testament, αἴτιον rarely appears, but when it does, it typically refers to a reason, basis for action, or legal cause (such as grounds for punishment or accusation). English translations often render αἴτιον as 'reason,' 'cause,' 'charge,' or occasionally 'fault,' but 'cause' best captures its range of conceptual and formal senses. The use of αἴτιον overlaps with αἰτία but can denote a more abstract or general reason, whereas αἰτία more often specifies 'accusation' or 'charge' in both secular and Hellenistic Jewish literature.
Original Strong's Gloss (1890)
neuter of αἴτιος; a reason or crime (like αἰτία):--cause, fault.
Word Forms
0 distinct forms
No word forms found for this Strong's number.
Occurrences in Scripture
0 occurrences
No occurrences found.