οἰνοπότης
oinopótēs
G3630 noun
SILEX Entry
Definition
A habitual drinker of wine; a person given to excessive consumption of wine. While the literal sense focuses on drinking wine, the context often connotes a habitual or intemperate drinker. Used pejoratively for someone whose lifestyle or character is marked by ongoing indulgence in wine-drinking, rather than a one-time act.
Semantic Range
habitual wine-drinker, tippler, one who excessively drinks wine, winebibber, person marked by ongoing indulgence in wine
Root / Etymology
From οἶνος (wine) and a derivative of πίνω (to drink), specifically the agentive suffix -πότης (one who drinks). Thus, 'one who drinks wine' or 'wine-drinker.'
Historical & Contextual Notes
The term οἰνοπότης is rare in classical and Hellenistic Greek, appearing primarily in later and Koine Greek sources. In the New Testament (cf. Matthew 11:19; Luke 7:34), it appears in the context of accusations against Jesus, paired with φάγος ('glutton'), to characterize someone as given to excess or as engaging in disreputable social behavior. The term carries a negative implication closer to 'drunkard' or 'wine-bibber' than to the neutral 'wine-drinker.' English translation traditions frequently use 'winebibber' or 'drunkard' to capture this pejorative nuance, but may not fully convey the habitual and disreputable connotation. Unlike the more general word μέθυσος ('drunkard'), οἰνοπότης specifically denotes habitual involvement with wine as the substance of choice. In extra-biblical Koine usage, the term is uncommon and appears almost exclusively in negative moral discourse, reinforcing its characterizing quality as an accusation or slur rather than as a neutral description.
Original Strong's Gloss (1890)
from οἶνος and a derivative of the alternate of πίνω; a tippler:--winebibber.
Root Family
οἰνοπότης (oinopotēs) — wine-drinker, habitual drinker of wine, one given to wine
Word Forms
1 distinct form
| SIDANCE | Surface | Transliteration | Morphology | Common | SIBI-P1 | SIBI-P2 | Occurrences |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
G3630-01 |
οἰνοπότης | oinopotes | N NOM M SG |
a drunkard | a habitual wine-drinker | a habitual wine-drinker | 2 |
Occurrences in Scripture
2 occurrences
| SIDANCE | Reference | Word | Transliteration | Morphology | Common | SIBI-P1 | SIBI-P2 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
G3630-01 |
Matthew 11:19 | οἰνοπότης | oinopotes | N NOM M SG |
winebibber | a habitual wine-drinker | habitual wine-drinker |
G3630-01 |
Luke 7:34 | οἰνοπότης | oinopotes | N NOM M SG |
a drunkard | a habitual wine-drinker | a habitual wine-drinker |