ἱμείρομαι
himeíromai
G2442 verb
SILEX Entry
Definition
To yearn for, to long after someone or something with deep affection or emotional desire. Often connotes strong longing, affection, or homesickness toward a person absent or separated, including family members, companions, or one's homeland. Contextually, the longing may be spiritual, emotional, or relational in nature.
Semantic Range
to yearn for someone (with affectionate longing), to feel deep desire for a person absent, to long for reunion, to be homesick, to experience affectionate or emotional desire for someone
Root / Etymology
The etymology is uncertain. No clear connection to other Greek roots is attested; it may represent an older or poetic term whose root is obscured. The form is attested from Homeric Greek onward, but its precise derivation is unclear.
Historical & Contextual Notes
ἱμείρομαι is an old and rare verb, already found in Homer, where it expresses deep longing or affectionate desire, especially toward persons or one's native land. In classical and later literature, it continues to appear primarily in poetry and emotive contexts, often expressing the yearning for loved ones or the pain of separation. In Koine Greek, including the LXX and the New Testament (notably in 1 Thessalonians 3:6), the term denotes heartfelt longing by the author for the addressee, reflecting warm, affectionate desire for reunion. The word always carries a strong emotional weight; it is never neutral or purely physical. Standard English translations like 'long for,' 'greatly desire,' or even 'be homesick for' capture part of the meaning, but may not reflect the tender affection connoted by the term. The verb is exclusively used in the middle voice. It is less commonly found in secular Koine and is relatively rare overall.
Original Strong's Gloss (1890)
middle voice from (a yearning; of uncertain affinity); to long for:--be affectionately desirous.
Root Family
ἱμείρομαι (himeiromai) — to long for, to yearn, to desire affectionately
Word Forms
1 distinct form
| SIDANCE | Surface | Transliteration | Morphology | Common | SIBI-P1 | SIBI-P2 | Occurrences |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
G2442-01 |
ὁμειρόμενοι | omeiromenoi | V PRS MID PTCP NOM M PL |
affectionately longing | those yearning affectionately | those yearning affectionately | 1 |
Occurrences in Scripture
1 occurrence
| SIDANCE | Reference | Word | Transliteration | Morphology | Common | SIBI-P1 | SIBI-P2 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
G2442-01 |
1 Thessalonians 2:8 | ὁμειρόμενοι | omeiromenoi | V PRS MID PTCP NOM M PL |
affectionately longing | those yearning affectionately | those yearning affectionately |