κοσμικός
kosmikós
G2886 attributive adjective
SILEX Entry
Definition
Pertaining to the world, especially the physical, material, or temporal realm; having characteristics or orientation toward earthly existence as opposed to what is considered spiritual or transcendent. In various contexts, describes things related to the inhabited, visible order, or to ordinary human life.
Semantic Range
pertaining to the world, earthly, material, temporal, belonging to the present age, mundane, characteristic of ordinary human affairs
Root / Etymology
From the root κόσμος (kosmos), meaning 'world, order, arrangement', with the adjectival suffix -ικός forming 'pertaining to the world'.
Historical & Contextual Notes
κοσμικός is a relatively rare adjective in Koine Greek. In classical and Hellenistic Greek, it commonly referred to things belonging to or characteristic of the κόσμος, the organized universe or, in some philosophical contexts, the universe in the sense of the ordered whole. By the time of the New Testament, κοσμικός could denote what is 'worldly' in contrast to what is spiritual or heavenly—often with a suggestion of being merely earthly, limited, or profane compared to higher or sacred realities. In Hellenistic philosophical literature, κοσμικός was sometimes contrasted with πνευματικός (spiritual) or οὐράνιος (heavenly). In Hebrews 9:1, κοσμικός describes the sanctuary as 'of this world', emphasizing its earthly and temporal character as opposed to the heavenly archetype. English translations often render the word as 'worldly' or 'earthly', sometimes introducing a negative moral nuance; however, in the ancient sources, the term itself is neutral, referring to ordinary, temporal existence unless the context demands a moral evaluation. The concept parallels Latin 'mundanus'. The term is not present in the Septuagint but appears in post-biblical and philosophical Greek, especially in discussions of cosmology. Its semantic range overlaps with but is not identical to terms like γήινος ('earthly') or βιοτικός ('pertaining to daily life').
Original Strong's Gloss (1890)
from κόσμος (in its secondary sense); terrene ("cosmic"), literally (mundane) or figuratively (corrupt):--worldly.
Root Family
κοσμικός (kosmikos) — world, order, arrangement, earthly, material
Word Forms
2 distinct forms
| SIDANCE | Surface | Transliteration | Morphology | Common | SIBI-P1 | Occurrences |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
G2886-01 |
κοσμικὰς | kosmikas | ADJ.A ACC F PL |
worldly | worldly (feminine plural) | 1 |
G2886-02 |
κοσμικόν | kosmikon | ADJ.A ACC N SG |
world-related | 1 |
Occurrences in Scripture
2 total occurrences
| SIDANCE | Reference | Word | Transliteration | Morphology | Common | SIBI-P1 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
G2886-01 |
Titus 2:12 | κοσμικὰς | kosmikas | ADJ.A ACC F PL |
worldly | worldly (feminine plural) |
G2886-02 |
Hebrews 9:1 | κοσμικόν | kosmikon | ADJ.A ACC N SG |
world-related |