Κλήμης
Klḗmēs
G2815 noun
SILEX Entry
Definition
A proper name, 'Clemens,' signifying 'gentle' or 'merciful.' Used as a personal name, referring to an individual, such as a follower of Jesus in the early Christian movement. Not a common noun but an appellative, designating a specific person whose name conveys the sense of mildness or clemency.
Semantic Range
personal name meaning 'merciful' or 'mild'; used exclusively as a proper noun designating individuals
Root / Etymology
Borrowed from the Latin cognomen 'Clemens,' meaning 'merciful' or 'mild,' of the adjective stem clem-, related to the Latin clemens. Not originally Greek; Latin loanword.
Historical & Contextual Notes
Κλήμης appears only as a proper name in the New Testament (Philippians 4:3), and is not used as a common noun in Greek sources. The adoption of Latin personal names was increasingly common in the Hellenistic and Roman periods, especially among Judeans and other inhabitants of the eastern Roman Empire, reflecting wider Roman influence. The name was borne by several prominent individuals in Roman history. In the NT context, Κλήμης refers to a member of the early Jesus-movement in Philippi. Later Christian tradition associates a 'Clement' with church leadership in Rome, but the NT usage does not automatically imply this identification. English translations simply transliterate as 'Clement.' The semantic content is retained only at the level of name origin, not in contextual meaning, since it functions as an identifying label.
Original Strong's Gloss (1890)
of Latin origin; merciful; Clemes (i.e. Clemens), a Christian:--Clement.
Root Family
Κλήμης (Klēmēs) — merciful, mild, gentle (as a personal attribute)
Word Forms
1 distinct form
| SIDANCE | Surface | Transliteration | Morphology | Common | SIBI-P1 | SIBI-P2 | Occurrences |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
G2815-01 |
Κλήμεντος | klementos | N GEN M SG |
Clement | of Clemens | Klemes | 1 |
Occurrences in Scripture
1 occurrence
| SIDANCE | Reference | Word | Transliteration | Morphology | Common | SIBI-P1 | SIBI-P2 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
G2815-01 |
Philippians 4:3 | Κλήμεντος | klementos | N GEN M SG |
Clement | of Clemens | Klemes |