ἁλυκός
halykós
G252 substantive adjective
SILEX Entry
Definition
Salty, pertaining to or containing salt; describes something imbued with the quality, taste, or substance of salt. In broader contexts, may refer to anything characterized by saltiness, literal or metaphorical.
Semantic Range
salty, briny, containing salt, characterized by salt
Root / Etymology
Derived from ἅλς (hals, 'salt') with the adjectival suffix -ικός, indicating 'pertaining to' or 'characterized by.'
Historical & Contextual Notes
ἁλυκός is a rare adjective, primarily attested in Koine and later Greek. In the Septuagint (e.g., Judges 9:45), it describes 'briny' or 'salted' water and, by extension, 'salted' land. The term preserves the base meaning of being characterized by salt but does not carry extended figurative uses (such as 'sharp' or 'witty') found in other Greek adjectives. Standard English translations usually render it simply as 'salty' or 'briny,' which matches its basic meaning. Unlike the noun ἅλς ('salt'), ἁλυκός never developed broader metaphorical senses in Koine Greek. The form is not common in classical Greek; its appearance is predominately Hellenistic and later.
Original Strong's Gloss (1890)
from ἅλς; briny:--salt.
Root Family
ἁλυκός (halykos) — salt, salted, briny
Word Forms
1 distinct form
| SIDANCE | Surface | Transliteration | Morphology | Common | SIBI-P1 | SIBI-P2 | Occurrences |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
G252-01 |
ἁλυκὸν | alukon | ADJ.S NOM N SG |
salt | salty thing | salty thing | 1 |
Occurrences in Scripture
1 occurrence
| SIDANCE | Reference | Word | Transliteration | Morphology | Common | SIBI-P1 | SIBI-P2 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
G252-01 |
James 3:12 | ἁλυκὸν | alukon | ADJ.S NOM N SG |
salt | salty thing | salty thing |