ἀκατακάλυπτος
akatakályptos
G177 attributive adjective
SILEX Entry
Definition
Uncovered, not veiled; specifically referring to something or someone not having a covering placed over (such as the head or face). Used particularly of a woman's head being uncovered in a social or ritual context, but more generally signifies absence of concealment or covering.
Semantic Range
uncovered, unveiled, without a veil or head covering, not concealed, without a physical covering (especially of the head or face)
Root / Etymology
From alpha privative (ἀ-) as negative prefix + κατακαλύπτω ('to cover, to veil, to conceal'). The verb κατακαλύπτω is formed from κατά ('down, over') + καλύπτω ('to cover, to hide'). Thus, ἀκατακάλυπτος literally means 'not covered over' or 'not veiled.'
Historical & Contextual Notes
The adjective ἀκατακάλυπτος appears in Koine Greek literature primarily in the context of public or ritual propriety, notably in 1 Corinthians 11 in the New Testament, where it concerns whether a woman's head is 'uncovered' during gatherings. In classical Greek, related terms (κάλυμμα, καλύπτω) refer more broadly to coverings or concealments of various kinds (veils, cloaks, physical covers); ἀκατακάλυπτος narrows this to the absence of such covering. English translations often render it as 'unveiled' or 'uncovered,' but the social and ritual connotations—particularly for head coverings among women in Greco-Roman and Judean society—are not always fully expressed in those glosses. The term does not pertain exclusively to head coverings but, in context, it most often references this practice. The meaning does not carry figurative or metaphorical extensions in extant Koine sources; its usage in the New Testament reflects contemporary customs regarding modesty and decorum, particularly in assemblies. No significant use attested in the Septuagint.
Original Strong's Gloss (1890)
from Α (as a negative particle) and a derivative of a compound of κατά and καλύπτω; unveiled:--uncovered.
Root Family
ἀκατακάλυπτος (akatakalyptos) — uncovered, unveiled, not concealed, without a covering
Word Forms
2 distinct forms
| SIDANCE | Surface | Transliteration | Morphology | Common | SIBI-P1 | SIBI-P2 | Occurrences |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
G177-02 |
ἀκατακάλυπτον | akatakalupton | ADJ.A ACC F SG |
uncovered | unveiled (feminine singular accusative) | unveiled | 1 |
G177-01 |
ἀκατακαλύπτῳ | akatakalupto | ADJ.A DAT F SG |
uncovered | to an unveiled one | with uncovered | 1 |
Occurrences in Scripture
2 occurrences
| SIDANCE | Reference | Word | Transliteration | Morphology | Common | SIBI-P1 | SIBI-P2 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
G177-01 |
1 Corinthians 11:5 | ἀκατακαλύπτῳ | akatakalupto | ADJ.A DAT F SG |
uncovered | to an unveiled one | with uncovered |
G177-02 |
1 Corinthians 11:13 | ἀκατακάλυπτον | akatakalupton | ADJ.A ACC F SG |
uncovered | unveiled (feminine singular accusative) | unveiled |