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κλέος

kléos

G2811 noun

SILEX Entry

Definition

Fame, renown; the state of being widely known or honored typically due to notable deeds or reputation. In some contexts, it can more broadly refer to 'good report' or 'glory,' particularly the kind attributed through acknowledgment or proclamation rather than intrinsic attributes.

Semantic Range

fame, renown, reputation, report, glorious fame, public honor

Root / Etymology

From a shorter form related to καλέω (to call, to summon), though the precise derivation is uncertain. The word is ancient, with roots in Homeric and classical Greek.

Historical & Contextual Notes

κλέος is an archaic and poetic Greek term, appearing frequently in Homer to describe the enduring fame or reputation of heroes—an honor that survives beyond death through song and memory. In classical and Hellenistic Greek, the term retained its association with the legacy and public acknowledgment of one's deeds. In the Septuagint and Koine Greek, κλέος occurs infrequently, and when it does, it generally emphasizes reputation or renown more than the moral or divine dimensions captured by related words like δόξα. English translations sometimes render this word as 'glory,' but this risks conflating it with religious or metaphysical senses found in δόξα. κλέος always carries the nuance of public remembrance or reported fame, whether of individuals or of actions, and lacks the strictly religious or worship-oriented meaning attached to some related terms. Its use in the New Testament is extremely rare or absent, likely due to preference for δόξα and related vocabulary.

Original Strong's Gloss (1890)

from a shorter form of καλέω; renown (as if being called):--glory.

Root Family

κλε- (kléos) — to call, to proclaim, to summon

Root κλε- to call, to proclaim, to summon

Word Forms

1 distinct form

SIDANCE Surface Transliteration Morphology Common SIBI-P1 SIBI-P2 Occurrences
G2811-01 κλέος kleos N NOM N SG glory renown renown 1

Occurrences in Scripture

1 occurrence

SIDANCE Reference Word Transliteration Morphology Common SIBI-P1 SIBI-P2
G2811-01 1 Peter 2:20 κλέος kleos N NOM N SG glory renown renown
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