ἐνειλέω
eneiléō
G1750 verb
SILEX Entry
Definition
To wrap in, to envelop, to wind or fold around. The word refers most directly to the physical act of enclosing or covering something by winding or folding fabric or another material around it. Its primary usage pertains to the act of binding or covering something, often with a cloth or linen, especially in funerary, ritual, or preservative contexts. More broadly, it can refer to any form of wrapping, enveloping, or enclosing, either literal or metaphorical.
Semantic Range
to wrap in, to envelop, to fold around, to enclose (with cloth or linen), to cover by winding, to enshroud (esp. in funerary use)
Root / Etymology
Formed from the preposition ἐν ('in, into') and a derivative of εἱλίσσω ('to roll, to wrap, to wind'), thus meaning 'to wind in' or 'to enwrap'. The etymology is straightforwardly compositional with no direct connection to ἔννομος (which is not etymologically relevant here).
Historical & Contextual Notes
ἐνειλέω appears in Koine Greek sources primarily in contexts describing the action of wrapping a body in cloth or linen, particularly in funerary or ritual settings (e.g., wrapping a corpse for burial, as attested in the New Testament and in Hellenistic Greek papyri). Its usage can be found in non-biblical Greek texts, where it retains the core sense of physically enclosing or covering objects by winding. The sense does not commonly extend to abstract or strictly figurative wrapping in Koine Greek. Traditional English translations usually render it as 'wrap', 'enfold', or 'enclose', particularly in reference to burial practices. There is no evidence in ancient sources for an etymological connection to ἔννομος. The term parallels related Greek verbs such as περιτυλίσσω ('to wrap around'), with ἐνειλέω focusing on the completion or result of the wrapping action.
Original Strong's Gloss (1890)
from ἔννομος and the base of εἱλίσσω; to enwrap:--wrap in.
Root Family
ἐνειλέω (eneileō) — to wind, to wrap, to enclose
Word Forms
1 distinct form
| SIDANCE | Surface | Transliteration | Morphology | Common | SIBI-P1 | SIBI-P2 | Occurrences |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
G1750-01 |
ἐνείλησεν | eneilesen | V AOR ACT IND 3P SG |
wrapped | he wrapped in | he wrapped | 1 |
Occurrences in Scripture
1 occurrence
| SIDANCE | Reference | Word | Transliteration | Morphology | Common | SIBI-P1 | SIBI-P2 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
G1750-01 |
Mark 15:46 | ἐνείλησεν | eneilesen | V AOR ACT IND 3P SG |
wrapped | he wrapped in | he wrapped |