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ἀκροατήριον

akroatḗrion

G201 noun

SILEX Entry

Root ἀκροατ- to hear, to listen (as audience)

Definition

An audience hall, place for hearing or listening—especially a physical space designated for listeners or hearers, such as a hall, auditorium, or courtroom gallery. Typically refers to an architectural space intended for public addresses, lectures, legal proceedings, or other formal gatherings where an audience comes to listen. The term may explicitly mark the area set apart for the audience as distinct from the area used by speakers or officials.

Semantic Range

audience hall, place of hearing, auditorium, courtroom, place set aside for listeners, place for public address

Root / Etymology

From ἀκροατής (listener, audience member) + the suffix -τήριον, denoting a place or space for a particular function. The root ἀκροατ- relates to hearing or listening.

Historical & Contextual Notes

In Hellenistic and Roman-era Greek, ἀκροατήριον refers to an audience chamber or space set aside for listeners, most often in public or judicial contexts. In the New Testament (Acts 25:23), it refers to the audience hall where officials and dignitaries gathered to hear Paul. The term appears rarely in Greek literature and is characteristic of administrative or legal settings. Not simply any meeting-place, but specifically the portion of a larger hall or building where an audience convenes to listen to proceedings. Standard English translations often render the word as 'audience hall,' 'courtroom,' or 'place of hearing.' Distinct from assembly-terms like συνέδριον (council, Sanhedrin) or ἀγορά (marketplace, assembly place), as ἀκροατήριον focuses on the presence and role of the hearers.

Original Strong's Gloss (1890)

from ἀκροατής; an audience-room:--place of hearing.

Root Family

ἀκροατήριον (akroatērion) — place of hearing, audience space, auditorium, hall for listeners

Word Forms

1 distinct form

SIDANCE Surface Transliteration Morphology Common SIBI-P1 Occurrences
G201-01 ἀκροατήριον akroaterion N ACC N SG audience hall an audience hall 1

Occurrences in Scripture

1 total occurrence

SIDANCE Reference Word Transliteration Morphology Common SIBI-P1
G201-01 Acts 25:23 ἀκροατήριον akroaterion N ACC N SG audience hall an audience hall
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