κερματιστής (G2773) — Greek Lexicon

κερματιστής

kermatistḗs

G2773 noun

SILEX Entry

Definition

Money-changer; an individual whose occupation involves exchanging, handling, or changing coinage, especially in the context of converting currency or providing appropriate denominations for transactions. In some contexts, specifically refers to those providing exchange services for pilgrims or temple practices.

Semantic Range

money-changer, handler of coinage, exchanger of small coins, provider of currency exchange services

Root / Etymology

From κέρμα (small coin, a piece of money), with the agentive suffix -ιστής denoting someone who handles or deals in coins. Thus, κερματιστής literally means 'one who deals in small coins.'

Historical & Contextual Notes

Attested only in later Koine Greek and known primarily from New Testament usage (John 2:14–15). The term κερματιστής refers to money-changers who facilitated religious and commercial transactions, particularly in the Jerusalem temple precincts where pilgrims exchanged foreign or larger denominations for coinage acceptable for offerings. Unlike τραπεζίτης (banker, money-dealer), which could imply broader financial operations (loans, deposits, investment), κερματιστής focuses more narrowly on the act of exchanging coins of different kinds. The English phrase 'changer of money' is a traditional translation, but may obscure the specific context of coinage exchange and the potential nuance of small-denomination coins. The emergence of κερματιστής as a technical term is tied to the economic and cultic practices of the Second Temple period, with little prior attestation in classical Greek.

Original Strong's Gloss (1890)

from a derivative of κέρμα; a handler of coins, i.e. money-broker:--changer of money.

Root Family

κερματιστής (kermatistēs) — to coin, to cut small coins, to make change, handler of coinage

Root κερμ- to coin, to cut (small pieces or coins), to make change

Word Forms

1 distinct form

SIDANCE	Surface	Transliteration	Morphology	Common	SIBI-P1	SIBI-P2	Occurrences
`G2773-01`	κερματιστὰς	kermatistas	`N ACC M PL`	money changers	coin-exchangers	money changers	1

Occurrences in Scripture

1 occurrence

SIDANCE	Reference	Word	Transliteration	Morphology	Common	SIBI-P1	SIBI-P2
`G2773-01`	John 2:14	κερματιστὰς	kermatistas	`N ACC M PL`	money changers	coin-exchangers	money changers

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