οἰκονομέω (G3621) — Greek Lexicon

οἰκονομέω

oikonoméō

G3621 verb

SILEX Entry

Definition

to administer or manage a household or estate; specifically to act in the capacity of overseeing, organizing, or directing domestic or entrusted affairs. The word primarily denotes the function of exercising responsible oversight, usually in a household or property context, and by extension can refer to any form of entrusted management or stewardship. Secondary senses may include managing organizational, financial, or ecclesial affairs entrusted by another.

Semantic Range

to manage a household, to administer property or resources on behalf of another, to exercise stewardship, to organize entrusted affairs, to act as a house manager or steward

Root / Etymology

from οἰκονόμος (household manager, steward), itself derived from οἶκος (house) + νέμω (to distribute, manage). The verb οἰκονομέω is the denominative verb formed from the noun οἰκονόμος.

Historical & Contextual Notes

οἰκονομέω appears infrequently in extant Greek literature, including Hellenistic and Koine Greek. It describes the act or role of managing affairs on behalf of another, usually within the framework of a household or estate, echoing the central importance of stewardship and delegated authority in Greco-Roman domestic organization. In the Septuagint and New Testament, its use aligns with this meaning: the emphasis is on faithful, responsible management of resources, tasks, or people given one's charge by a superior. English translations like "be steward" or "manage" risk losing the specific connotation of delegated, fiduciary oversight implied by the term. The broader semantic field includes analogous terms such as διαχειρίζομαι (to manage, handle), though οἰκονομέω stresses official entrustment rather than informal handling. The noun οἰκονόμος ('steward') is far more common, but the verbal form underlines the active function. By the late Hellenistic and Roman periods, οἰκονόμος and its cognates extended metaphorically to organizational roles in civic, religious, or fiscal settings, yet οἰκονομέω remains closely tied to the notion of specifically entrusted administration rather than general leadership.

Original Strong's Gloss (1890)

from οἰκονόμος; to manage (a house, i.e. an estate):--be steward.

Root Family

οἰκονόμ- (oikonoméō) — to manage, to administer, to oversee entrusted affairs

Root οἰκονόμ- to manage, to administer, to oversee entrusted affairs

Word Forms

1 distinct form

SIDANCE	Surface	Transliteration	Morphology	Common	SIBI-P1	SIBI-P2	Occurrences
`G3621-01`	οἰκονομεῖν	oikonomein	`V PRS ACT INF`	be manager	to manage as steward	to manage as steward	1

Occurrences in Scripture

1 occurrence

SIDANCE	Reference	Word	Transliteration	Morphology	Common	SIBI-P1	SIBI-P2
`G3621-01`	Luke 16:2	οἰκονομεῖν	oikonomein	`V PRS ACT INF`	be manager	to manage as steward	to manage as steward

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