κυριότης (G2963) — Greek Lexicon

κυριότης

kyriótēs

G2963 noun

SILEX Entry

Root κυρι- to be lord, to have authority, to rule

Definition

Authority, lordship, or sovereign power—the condition or quality of being a master or having mastery. In different contexts, refers either to the abstract concept of dominion or authority, or concretely to individuals or groups who exercise authority ('rulers,' 'powers'). In some Hellenistic and early Christian contexts, may refer to angelic, spiritual, or cosmic powers regarded as ruling entities.

Semantic Range

lordship, mastery, dominion, ruling power, the state or condition of being a master, collective rulers, angelic or cosmic power, authority structure

Root / Etymology

From the Greek root κύριος ('lord,' 'master'), with the suffix -ότης (-otēs) forming an abstract noun indicating the state or quality of being a lord/master. Thus, κυριότης denotes 'lordship' or 'dominion.'

Historical & Contextual Notes

In classical Greek, κυριότης is rare but signifies the condition of lordship or authority. In the Hellenistic and especially Jewish and Christian Greek context, it acquires specialized meanings. In the Septuagint, it is often used to translate Hebrew terms for dominion or rulership, sometimes with reference to God's sovereignty. In the New Testament, κυριότης can refer both to human authority structures and, more frequently, to ranks of spiritual or cosmic powers (such as in Colossians 1:16; Ephesians 1:21; Jude 8), alongside other terms for angelic or spiritual hierarchies (e.g., ἀρχαί, ἐξουσίαι, δυνάμεις). English translations often render the term as 'dominion,' 'rule,' or 'lordship,' but these can obscure its polyvalence in Greek sources, where it may designate both human and non-human (angels, cosmic powers) dominion. Jewish Second Temple literature and later Christian theology sometimes interpret such terms in reference to specific spiritual beings, but this is context-dependent and not universal in Koine usage.

Original Strong's Gloss (1890)

from κύριος; mastery, i.e. (concretely and collectively) rulers:--dominion, government.

Root Family

κυριότης (kyriotēs) — lordship, mastery, dominion, ruling authority

Word Forms

3 distinct forms

SIDANCE	Surface	Transliteration	Morphology	Common	SIBI-P1	SIBI-P2	Occurrences
`G2963-03`	κυριότητος	kuriotetos	`N GEN F SG`	authority	of lordship	authority	2
`G2963-01`	κυριότητα	kurioteta	`N ACC F SG`	dominion	lordship	lordship	1
`G2963-02`	κυριότητες	kuriotetes	`N NOM F PL`	dominions	lordships	dominions	1

Occurrences in Scripture

4 occurrences

Filter by SIDANCE:

SIDANCE	Reference	Word	Transliteration	Morphology	Common	SIBI-P1	SIBI-P2
`G2963-03`	Ephesians 1:21	κυριότητος	kuriotetos	`N GEN F SG`	dominion	of lordship	dominion
`G2963-02`	Colossians 1:16	κυριότητες	kuriotetes	`N NOM F PL`	dominions	lordships	dominions
`G2963-03`	2 Peter 2:10	κυριότητος	kuriotetos	`N GEN F SG`	authority	of lordship	authority
`G2963-01`	Jude 1:8	κυριότητα	kurioteta	`N ACC F SG`	dominion	lordship	lordship

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