λαξευτός
laxeutós
G2991 attributive adjective
SILEX Entry
Definition
Hewn or carved from stone; made by cutting, chiseling, or fashioning rock. The term denotes an object that has been intentionally shaped or excavated out of stone, often referencing tombs, monuments, or architectural elements in ancient construction.
Semantic Range
hewn from stone, quarried, rock-carved, cut into rock, stone-cut
Root / Etymology
Derived from the verb λαξεύω (laxeuō, 'to hew, chisel, or carve in stone'), itself likely built from λᾶς (las, 'stone, rock') and a verbalizing suffix; potentially related to scraping (ξηρός with its earlier meaning of 'scraping'), though the relationship is not direct; see also λατομεῖον ('quarry').
Historical & Contextual Notes
In both Hellenistic and Koine Greek, λαξευτός most commonly describes objects (especially tombs or altars) made by cutting directly into bedrock or from quarried stone, distinguishing them from objects assembled from smaller stones or brickwork. The term appears notably in funerary contexts (e.g., describing tombs hewn directly into rock faces), as in the New Testament and contemporary Jewish and Greco-Roman texts. English translations often render λαξευτός as 'hewn in stone,' which captures the basic idea but may obscure the craftsmanship or intentionality implied in Greek. Usage in the Septuagint and other Hellenistic literature shows it could be used for any stonework fashioned by cutting, not only sepulchral contexts. The process implied (manual chiseling or quarrying) marked a distinction with built structures assembled from pre-shaped stones. This nuance informs a richer understanding than a generic 'stone' or 'rock.' In the NT, its usage typically indicates a specific method of preparation or construction, not merely the material.
Original Strong's Gloss (1890)
from a compound of (a stone) and the base of ξηρός (in its original sense of scraping); rock-quarried:--hewn in stone.
Root Family
λαξευτός (laxeutos) — hewn, chiseled, carved (in stone)
Word Forms
1 distinct form
| SIDANCE | Surface | Transliteration | Morphology | Common | SIBI-P1 | SIBI-P2 | Occurrences |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
G2991-01 |
λαξευτῷ | laxeuto | ADJ.A DAT N SG |
cut in stone | to a stone-hewn (thing) | hewn from stone | 1 |
Occurrences in Scripture
1 occurrence
| SIDANCE | Reference | Word | Transliteration | Morphology | Common | SIBI-P1 | SIBI-P2 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
G2991-01 |
Luke 23:53 | λαξευτῷ | laxeuto | ADJ.A DAT N SG |
cut in stone | to a stone-hewn (thing) | hewn from stone |