κόρος
kóros
G2884 noun
SILEX Entry
Definition
A cor; a large dry measure used for grain or other commodities, traditionally understood as equivalent to approximately ten or eleven bushels (about 220–400 liters), though the precise volume varied by region and period. Refers to a quantified unit for trade and legal transactions, not a generic 'measure.' In Greek texts, κόρος is a loanword representing this Near Eastern standard of volume.
Semantic Range
a cor (Hebrew dry measure), a large standardized unit of volume for grain or produce; a trade or legal measure; a specific quantified amount (never generic 'measure')
Root / Etymology
Direct borrowing from the Hebrew כֹּר (kōr), itself a measure of capacity in the Hebrew Bible. The Greek term is a transliteration rather than a derivation from native Greek roots.
Historical & Contextual Notes
The term κόρος appears rarely in the New Testament, but more commonly in the Septuagint as the Greek rendering of the Hebrew כֹּר. In classical and early Hellenistic Greek, native terms for measures included μέδιμνος, while κόρος was recognized chiefly in contexts dealing with Judean/Levantine commodities or legal texts translated from Hebrew or Aramaic. In the Septuagint, κόρος specifically translates the Hebrew measure for major quantities of grain, wine, or oil, indicating a standardization of Israelite units into Greek. English translations often render κόρος as 'cor,' sometimes glossed 'measure,' but this obscures its specificity as a formal legal and commercial unit of volume. The actual capacity associated with κόρος was variable; historical sources and inscriptions suggest a range from about 220 to 400 liters depending on the period and local practices. Early Judean sources and Roman-period writers often understood the κόρος/cor to be equivalent to ten homerim (another biblical measure), pointing to its significant usage in trade, taxation, and temple contexts.
Original Strong's Gloss (1890)
of Hebrew origin (כֹּר); a cor, i.e. a specific measure:--measure.
Root Family
κόρος (koros) — cor, unit of dry measure, large standardized volume
Word Forms
1 distinct form
| SIDANCE | Surface | Transliteration | Morphology | Common | SIBI-P1 | Occurrences |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
G2884-01 |
κόρους | korous | N ACC M PL |
measures | cors | 1 |
Occurrences in Scripture
1 total occurrence
| SIDANCE | Reference | Word | Transliteration | Morphology | Common | SIBI-P1 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
G2884-01 |
Luke 16:7 | κόρους | korous | N ACC M PL |
measures | cors |