ἀκρογωνιαῖος
akrogōniaîos
G204 predicate adjective
SILEX Entry
Definition
Pertaining to the extreme or highest corner; chief corner or principal cornerstone. Denotes a stone placed at the extreme corner of a building, especially one that provides a foundation or binding point between two intersecting walls; by extension, metaphorically signifies something or someone of foundational or unifying importance in a structure or community.
Semantic Range
chief cornerstone, stone at the extreme corner of a building, principal foundational stone, unifying or determinative element (metaphorical)
Root / Etymology
From ἄκρον ('extremity, summit, tip') and γωνία ('corner, angle'), forming a compound meaning 'belonging to the extreme corner.'
Historical & Contextual Notes
In classical Greek, ἀκρογωνιαῖος is rare and primarily architectural, referring to a literal stone at the outermost corner of a structure, providing binding strength to the building. In the LXX (e.g., Isa 28:16), it renders Hebrew אֶבֶן פִּנָּה ('cornerstone'), denoting a special, foundational stone. In the New Testament (e.g., Eph 2:20; 1 Pet 2:6), it is used metaphorically for a person or thing considered foundational, unifying, or determinative for a community (often in reference to a central figure or principle), extending the literal architectural sense. Standard English translations, often 'cornerstone' or 'chief cornerstone,' may obscure the imagery of the extremity of the structure and its unifying function. The term does not appear to have a specialized pre-Christian usage beyond the literal architectural one; the broader metaphorical sense draws on the Septuagint's rendering and subsequent Jewish and Christian interpretive contexts. Unlike the more general term for 'corner' (γωνία), ἀκρογωνιαῖος emphasizes both extremity and primacy within a structure.
Original Strong's Gloss (1890)
from ἄκρον and γωνία; belonging to the extreme corner:--chief corner.
Root Family
ἀκρογωνιαῖος (akrogōniaios) — at the extreme corner, forming a corner, principal or chief corner
Word Forms
2 distinct forms
| SIDANCE | Surface | Transliteration | Morphology | Common | SIBI-P1 | SIBI-P2 | Occurrences |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
G204-01 |
ἀκρογωνιαῖον | akrogoniaion | ADJ.S ACC M SG |
cornerstone | extreme-corner cornerstone | cornerstone | 1 |
G204-02 |
ἀκρογωνιαίου | akrogoniaiou | ADJ.P GEN M SG |
cornerstone | of the chief cornerstone | the chief cornerstone | 1 |
Occurrences in Scripture
2 occurrences
| SIDANCE | Reference | Word | Transliteration | Morphology | Common | SIBI-P1 | SIBI-P2 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
G204-02 |
Ephesians 2:20 | ἀκρογωνιαίου | akrogoniaiou | ADJ.P GEN M SG |
cornerstone | of the chief cornerstone | the chief cornerstone |
G204-01 |
1 Peter 2:6 | ἀκρογωνιαῖον | akrogoniaion | ADJ.S ACC M SG |
cornerstone | extreme-corner cornerstone | cornerstone |