ὀφρῦς
ophrŷs
G3790 noun
SILEX Entry
Definition
Eyebrow — the arch of hair above the human eye. In extended or metaphorical use, refers to the crest, edge, or brink of something elevated, especially the edge or rim of a cliff or precipice, drawing on visual similarity and the 'overhanging' sense implied by literal eyebrows. In certain literary contexts, may indicate the brow or forehead as the prominent upper part of the face.
Semantic Range
eyebrow, brow of the forehead, edge or rim (of a cliff or precipice), crest, ridge (by metaphor from facial context)
Root / Etymology
From the Greek root ὀφρῦς (uncertain etymology), but see possible connection to ὀπτάνομαι (to see), presumably through the association with the organ of sight. However, direct morphological derivation is not established; the root is considered pre-Greek by some scholars.
Historical & Contextual Notes
ὀφρῦς is primarily used in classical Greek to denote the eyebrow, the orbital ridge above the eye. In Homeric and later literary Greek, it is characteristically part of facial description. By metaphorical extension, especially in Hellenistic and Koine Greek, it is used to refer to the 'brow' or edge of a geographic feature such as a cliff, mountain, or precipice due to its raised, projecting form—much as the literal eyebrow overhangs the eye. This metaphor appears in the New Testament (Luke 4:29) and other Greek writers. English translations often render metaphorical uses simply as 'brow,' which can obscure the visual/metaphorical linkage to the human face inherent in the Greek. There is no specific religious or ethnic significance to the term.
Original Strong's Gloss (1890)
perhaps from ὀπτάνομαι (through the idea of the shading or proximity to the organ of vision); the eye-"brow" or forehead, i.e. (figuratively) the brink of a precipice:--brow.
Root Family
ὀφρῦς (ophrŷs) — eyebrow, ridge
Word Forms
1 distinct form
| SIDANCE | Surface | Transliteration | Morphology | Common | SIBI-P1 | SIBI-P2 | Occurrences |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
G3790-01 |
ὀφρύος | ophruos | N GEN F SG |
brow | of an eyebrow | the brow | 1 |
Occurrences in Scripture
1 occurrence
| SIDANCE | Reference | Word | Transliteration | Morphology | Common | SIBI-P1 | SIBI-P2 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
G3790-01 |
Luke 4:29 | ὀφρύος | ophruos | N GEN F SG |
brow | of an eyebrow | the brow |