νόθος
nóthos
G3541 substantive adjective
SILEX Entry
Definition
Denotes one born outside legally recognized marriage, an illegitimate child; by extension, one not entitled to the status, rights, or privileges of a legitimate heir. Also used metaphorically for someone whose position, belonging, or status is questionable or unauthorized. In some contexts, conveys the sense of something or someone not genuine—spurious or counterfeit.
Semantic Range
illegitimate child, child of uncertain parentage, one lacking legitimate status or rights, spurious or counterfeit (of objects or qualities), metaphorically: someone whose belonging or status is unauthorized or doubtful
Root / Etymology
Etymology uncertain; not clearly derived from an established Greek root, but attested from classical Greek period onward as a legal and social term.
Historical & Contextual Notes
In classical Greek, νόθος referred to a child born to parents not joined in legitimate marriage, typically through a concubine or a woman outside the recognized marital bond. Such a child's status was marked by exclusion from full inheritance rights, in contrast to γνήσιος ('legitimate, genuine'). By the Hellenistic and Roman periods, the term takes on a broader social and legal nuance, still primarily denoting illegitimacy in birth or lack of inheritance rights. In the Septuagint and New Testament, the term occurs in Hebrews 12:8, where it is used figuratively to describe individuals not subject to parental discipline, implying that they are not true or full children/heirs. English Bible translations have often rendered the term as 'bastard', but this English word's social and emotional connotations may miss the nuanced Greek sense focused on legitimacy, rights, and status more than moral judgment. The term may also acquire the extended sense of 'spurious' or 'counterfeit' (not limited to persons but to things, e.g., νόθος χαρακτήρ—'counterfeit coin' in other Greek literature). Contrast with γνήσιος ('legitimate, genuine, true').
Original Strong's Gloss (1890)
of uncertain affinity; a spurious or illegitimate son:--bastard.
Root Family
νόθ- (nóthos) — illegitimate, spurious, not genuine
Word Forms
1 distinct form
| SIDANCE | Surface | Transliteration | Morphology | Common | SIBI-P1 | SIBI-P2 | Occurrences |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
G3541-01 |
νόθοι | nothoi | ADJ.S NOM M PL |
illegitimate children | illegitimate sons | illegitimate sons | 1 |
Occurrences in Scripture
1 occurrence
| SIDANCE | Reference | Word | Transliteration | Morphology | Common | SIBI-P1 | SIBI-P2 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
G3541-01 |
Hebrews 12:8 | νόθοι | nothoi | ADJ.S NOM M PL |
illegitimate children | illegitimate sons | illegitimate sons |