ὄρθρος
órthros
G3722 noun
SILEX Entry
Definition
The period of dawn or early morning; specifically, the time at or just before sunrise when light begins to appear after night. Can denote the very beginning of the day, especially as a temporal marker for activities, prayer, or events starting at daybreak. In some contexts, may imply the early hours generally, prior to full daylight.
Semantic Range
dawn, daybreak, early morning, the first light before sunrise, the time just after first light before full morning
Root / Etymology
Derived from the same root as ὄρος ('mountain'), possibly related to the rising or appearing (cf. 'to rise up'); however, connection with a term for 'rise' is debated, and direct etymology is uncertain.
Historical & Contextual Notes
In classical Greek, ὄρθρος refers to the first appearance of light before sunrise, associated with the beginning of daily activities. By the Hellenistic and Koine periods, it continues to mean dawn or early morning, often marking a customary hour for prayer or significant events (e.g., Luke 24:1). In the Septuagint, it translates Hebrew terms for 'dawn' or 'daybreak,' serving as a temporal milestone. English translations often render it as 'dawn' or 'early morning,' but may miss nuances about ritual or communal activities that typically occurred at this time in the ancient world. The range does not extend to midday or later morning hours: it is restricted to the earliest morning light.
Original Strong's Gloss (1890)
from the same as ὄρος; dawn (as sun-rise, rising of light); by extension, morn:--early in the morning.
Root Family
ὀρθ- (diórthōsis) — to make straight, to correct, to set right
| Strong's | Lemma | SIBI-P1 |
|---|---|---|
| G1357 | διόρθωσις | of thorough correction |
| G1882 | ἐπανόρθωσις | restorative correction |
| G1930 | ἐπιδιορθόω | you might further set right for yourself |
| G2735 | κατόρθωμα | |
| G3717 | ὀρθός | straight ones |
Word Forms
2 distinct forms
| SIDANCE | Surface | Transliteration | Morphology | Common | SIBI-P1 | SIBI-P2 | Occurrences |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
G3722-02 |
ὄρθρου | orthrou | N GEN M SG |
dawn | of dawn | at dawn | 2 |
G3722-01 |
ὄρθρον | orthron | N ACC M SG |
dawn | dawn | dawn | 1 |
Occurrences in Scripture
3 occurrences