ἰῶτα
iōta
G2503 noun
SILEX Entry
Definition
The smallest letter in the Greek alphabet; used literally as the eighth letter ('iota') and figuratively to denote something extremely small or insignificant—a tiny part, bit, or detail. In certain contexts, especially in idiomatic expressions, represents that not even the least part or detail will be omitted or altered.
Semantic Range
the smallest letter of the Greek alphabet; the Hebrew yod; a very small part, jot, the least detail, something minimal or insignificant
Root / Etymology
From the Greek ἰῶτα, the name for the eighth letter of the Greek alphabet (Ι, ι), corresponding to the Semitic letter yod (י), the tenth letter in the Hebrew alphabet. Borrowed from the Hebrew 'yod,' especially in Jewish-Greek contexts. Root ultimately from the Phoenician alphabet, from which both Greek and Hebrew scripts are derived.
Historical & Contextual Notes
The word ἰῶτα referred in Greek to the letter 'iota' (Ι, ι), the smallest letter in both form and sound. In literary and rhetorical Greek, ἰῶτα's small size led to its frequent metaphorical use for anything minimal or insignificant. In Hellenistic and Koine usage, the word was especially employed in idioms to indicate even the smallest detail (cf. Latin 'iota unum,' and the English idiom 'not one iota'). In the New Testament (notably Matthew 5:18), ἰῶτα is used with explicit reference to the Hebrew yod, the smallest letter of the Hebrew script, to stress that not even the smallest detail of the Law (Torah) will pass away. English Bible translations often render the phrase 'not one jot or tittle'—'jot' reflecting a transliteration-based tradition (from 'iota'), but this can obscure the direct association with the actual letter and its significance in Greek and Hebrew writing. The metaphorical sense ('the least part') is well-attested in both Greek and Roman rhetorical traditions.
Original Strong's Gloss (1890)
of Hebrew origin (the tenth letter of the Hebrew alphabet); "iota", the name of the eighth letter of the Greek alphabet, put (figuratively) for a very small part of anything:--jot.
Root Family
ἰῶτα (iōta) — iota, smallest letter, tiny part
Word Forms
1 distinct form
| SIDANCE | Surface | Transliteration | Morphology | Common | SIBI-P1 | SIBI-P2 | Occurrences |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
G2503-01 |
ἰῶτα | iota | N NOM N SG |
jot | an iota | an iota | 1 |
Occurrences in Scripture
1 occurrence
| SIDANCE | Reference | Word | Transliteration | Morphology | Common | SIBI-P1 | SIBI-P2 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
G2503-01 |
Matthew 5:18 | ἰῶτα | iota | N NOM N SG |
jot | an iota | an iota |