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νυμφίος

nymphíos

G3566 noun

SILEX Entry

Definition

A man who is newly married or about to be married; bridegroom. In various contexts, refers to the person in the male role at a wedding, either in a literal sense (the man marrying a woman) or, by extension, to one taking on a central, honored role in a celebratory or covenant event.

Semantic Range

bridegroom, man about to be married, married man in the context of wedding festivities, central honored participant in covenant or ceremony (figurative)

Root / Etymology

From νύμφη (bride, young woman about to be married) with a masculine suffix (–ιος), signifying relation to the νύμφη. The term literally means 'the one belonging to or associated with the bride.'

Historical & Contextual Notes

In classical and post-classical Greek, νυμφίος primarily denotes the male partner in a wedding, the bridegroom, and can sometimes be used broadly of husbands in poetic or festive expressions. In the Septuagint, it typically translates Hebrew terms for bridegroom (e.g., chatan, חָתָן), maintaining a literal sense. In the New Testament, νυμφίος retains its literal sense (the bridegroom at a wedding; e.g., Matt 9:15), but is also employed figuratively in parabolic and metaphorical contexts, where it may represent a central celebratory or initiating figure. Standard English translations as 'bridegroom' capture the primary sense but may not always convey metaphorical or ceremonial nuances inherent in ancient usage. While the term never refers to a 'groom' of horses or male animals, its figurative usage in Second Temple literature can imply roles of joy, anticipation, or covenant participation.

Translation Consistency

primary "bridegroom" 16 occurrences

νυμφίος consistently denotes the male participant in a marriage or the honored central male figure in wedding/covenant imagery. 'Bridegroom' is the common, natural English equivalent that fits both literal and figurative uses and matches the dominant renderings in the source (15 of 16 occurrences).

✓ All renderings match approved senses

Original Strong's Gloss (1890)

from νύμφη; a bride-groom (literally or figuratively):--bridegroom.

Root Family

νυμφίος (nymphios) — to marry, bridegroom, man joined in marriage, one belonging to the bride

Root νυμφ- to marry, to be a bride or bridegroom, to join in marriage

Word Forms

3 distinct forms

SIDANCE Surface Transliteration Morphology Common SIBI-P1 SIBI-P2 Occurrences
G3566-02 νυμφίος numphios N NOM M SG bridegroom bridegroom bridegroom 9
G3566-03 νυμφίου numphiou N GEN M SG bridegroom of the bridegroom of the bridegroom 5
G3566-01 νυμφίον numphion N ACC M SG bridegroom the bridegroom the bridegroom 2

Occurrences in Scripture

16 occurrences

SIDANCE Reference Word Transliteration Morphology Common SIBI-P1 SIBI-P2
G3566-02 Matthew 9:15 νυμφίος numphios N NOM M SG bridegroom bridegroom bridegroom
G3566-02 Matthew 9:15 νυμφίος numphios-2 N NOM M SG bridegroom bridegroom bridegroom
G3566-03 Matthew 25:1 νυμφίου numphiou N GEN M SG bridegroom of the bridegroom of the bridegroom
G3566-03 Matthew 25:5 νυμφίου numphiou N GEN M SG bridegroom of the bridegroom of the bridegroom
G3566-02 Matthew 25:6 νυμφίος numphios N NOM M SG bridegroom bridegroom bridegroom
G3566-02 Matthew 25:10 νυμφίος numphios N NOM M SG bridegroom bridegroom bridegroom
G3566-02 Mark 2:19 νυμφίος numphios N NOM M SG bridegroom bridegroom bridegroom
G3566-01 Mark 2:19 νυμφίον numphion N ACC M SG bridegroom the bridegroom the bridegroom
G3566-02 Mark 2:20 νυμφίος numphios N NOM M SG bridegroom bridegroom bridegroom
G3566-02 Luke 5:34 νυμφίος numphios N NOM M SG bridegroom bridegroom bridegroom
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