ἔσοπτρον
ésoptron
G2072 noun
SILEX Entry
Definition
Mirror; primarily, a polished surface (typically metal such as bronze or silver) used for personal reflection. In Koine and earlier Greek, denotes a physical object meant to produce an image for viewing oneself. Secondary uses may include figurative application to mean something by which one may see or perceive indirectly, as in seeing a reflection rather than reality itself.
Semantic Range
mirror, polished metal for reflection, any device producing a reflected image, figurative: a means of indirect perception
Root / Etymology
From εἶς (into) and ὄπτρον (instrument for seeing or sight), related to the verb ὁρᾶν (to see) or ὀπτάνομαι (to appear, be seen).
Historical & Contextual Notes
Attested in classical Greek (e.g., Herodotus, Plato) as a term for a mirror, commonly made of polished metal, not glass as in later periods. In the Hellenistic and Roman world, ἔσοπτρον retains the meaning of a personal mirror, as opposed to glass panes. The Septuagint uses the term in Exodus 38:8 to refer to the mirrors of the women at the tabernacle, reflecting the utility and symbolism of mirrors in contemporary Israelite and Hellenistic societies. In the New Testament (1 Corinthians 13:12), Paul uses ἔσοπτρον metaphorically: "see in a mirror, dimly"—referring to the indirect and imperfect nature of understanding, not to a glass mirror but to a polished metal one, where reflections were less clear. English translation as "glass" is potentially misleading because ancient mirrors were not made of glass. The related verb κατοπτρίζομαι means 'to mirror oneself, to reflect.'
Original Strong's Gloss (1890)
from εἰς and a presumed derivative of ὀπτάνομαι; a mirror (for looking into):--glass. Compare κατοπτρίζομαι.
Root Family
ἔσοπτρον (esoptron) — mirror, reflective surface, instrument for seeing, appearing
Word Forms
2 distinct forms
| SIDANCE | Surface | Transliteration | Morphology | Common | SIBI-P1 | SIBI-P2 | Occurrences |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
G2072-02 |
ἐσόπτρου | esoptrou | N GEN N SG |
a mirror | of a mirror | of a mirror | 1 |
G2072-01 |
ἐσόπτρῳ | esoptro | N DAT N SG |
a mirror | in a mirror | a mirror | 1 |
Occurrences in Scripture
2 occurrences
| SIDANCE | Reference | Word | Transliteration | Morphology | Common | SIBI-P1 | SIBI-P2 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
G2072-02 |
1 Corinthians 13:12 | ἐσόπτρου | esoptrou | N GEN N SG |
a mirror | of a mirror | of a mirror |
G2072-01 |
James 1:23 | ἐσόπτρῳ | esoptro | N DAT N SG |
a mirror | in a mirror | a mirror |