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κῶμος

kōmos

G2970 noun

SILEX Entry

Root κωμ- to revel, to celebrate, to carouse

Definition

A festive gathering marked by uninhibited celebration; a revel, usually involving drinking, feasting, loud music, and public display of merrymaking. In extended contexts, refers to behavior characterized by excessive partying, disorder, or rowdiness, particularly those involving night-long processions or licentious conduct.

Semantic Range

revel, festal procession, raucous festivity, riotous partying, drunken revelry, disorderly celebration, orgiastic revel

Root / Etymology

From the root κεῖμαι (to lie, to be situated), originally referring to people lying around at a banquet or after a feast; later developed the specialized sense of revelry or carouse. Related to the practice of κώμαζω (to revel, celebrate).

Historical & Contextual Notes

In classical Greek, κῶμος primarily denoted a ritualized festive procession or boisterous celebratory gathering, often in honor of Dionysus, involving songs, drinking, and masquerade. Over time, it gained a more negative connotation, associated with raucous and disruptive partying. By the Hellenistic and Roman periods, as seen in the Septuagint and New Testament (e.g. Rom 13:13, Gal 5:21; 1 Pet 4:3), it commonly denoted licentious revelry or riotous wantonness, condemned in ethical discourse as a sign of moral laxity. Standard English translations such as "reveling" or "orgies" sometimes obscure the public, communal, and processional aspect that κῶμος invoked in ancient usage. In contrast to words for orderly festivities (συμπόσιον), κῶμος suggests excess, public rowdiness, and a lack of restraint.

Original Strong's Gloss (1890)

from κεῖμαι; a carousal (as if letting loose):--revelling, rioting.

Root Family

κῶμος (kōmos) — revel, carouse, festive procession, riotous celebration

Word Forms

2 distinct forms

SIDANCE Surface Transliteration Morphology Common SIBI-P1 Occurrences
G2970-02 κώμοις komois N DAT M PL orgies to revelries 2
G2970-01 κῶμοι komoi N NOM M PL revellings riotous revels 1

Occurrences in Scripture

3 total occurrences

SIDANCE Reference Word Transliteration Morphology Common SIBI-P1
G2970-02 Romans 13:13 κώμοις komois N DAT M PL orgies to revelries
G2970-01 Galatians 5:21 κῶμοι komoi N NOM M PL revellings riotous revels
G2970-02 1 Peter 4:3 κώμοις komois N DAT M PL revellings to revelries
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