ὄσφρησις
ósphrēsis
G3750 noun
SILEX Entry
Definition
Sense of smell; the faculty or act of perceiving odors. In Greek usage, refers both to the physiological function of smelling (olfaction) and, by extension, to the perception of odors in various contexts. Primarily denotes the capacity or function, less commonly a particular 'smelling' event.
Semantic Range
sense of smell, faculty of smelling, olfaction, act of smelling, perception of scent, metaphorical perception or discernment
Root / Etymology
From ὄζω ('to smell, emit an odor') with the noun-forming suffix -φρησις, forming a noun for the faculty or act associated with smelling.
Historical & Contextual Notes
ὄσφρησις is a classical and Koine Greek noun for the sense of smell or olfaction. In classical Greek, it is used for both humans and animals to refer to the physical faculty of detecting scents (see Aristotle, De Partibus Animalium, 2.11). In the Septuagint and the New Testament, its usage is rare; in Hebrews 5:14, it is metaphorically extended for the faculties of moral discernment, likening moral perception to physical senses engaging in discernment through 'training.' The core sense remains neutral, but Greek and later philosophical texts sometimes use it metaphorically for mental or spiritual 'perception.' English translations usually render it as 'sense of smell,' 'smelling,' or, in metaphor, 'discernment.' The word does not carry the technical or clinical formality of later medical terminology for olfaction, but rather denotes everyday capacity or activity involving smell. Distinguished from the verb ὄζω (to emit a smell, to have an odor) and the noun ὀσμή (smell, odor), which more often describe the object or act rather than the faculty itself. In Hellenistic Greek, as in biblical Greek, it remains more concrete and less specialized than Latin 'olfactus.'
Original Strong's Gloss (1890)
from a derivative of ὄζω; smell (the sense):--smelling.
Root Family
ὄσφρησις (osphrēsis) — sense of smell, faculty of smelling, perception of scent, olfaction
Word Forms
1 distinct form
| SIDANCE | Surface | Transliteration | Morphology | Common | SIBI-P1 | SIBI-P2 | Occurrences |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
G3750-01 |
ὄσφρησις | osphresis | N NOM F SG |
smelling | sense of smell | sense of smell | 1 |
Occurrences in Scripture
1 occurrence
| SIDANCE | Reference | Word | Transliteration | Morphology | Common | SIBI-P1 | SIBI-P2 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
G3750-01 |
1 Corinthians 12:17 | ὄσφρησις | osphresis | N NOM F SG |
smelling | sense of smell | sense of smell |