περίχωρος
períchōros
G4066 substantive adjective
SILEX Entry
Definition
Pertaining to the surrounding area; belonging to or located in the vicinity or outskirts of a principal place, especially a city or settlement. Used adjectivally to describe regions or areas lying around a central point, frequently with reference to a primary city or urban center. In the New Testament, predominantly refers to the territory or localities surrounding a principal city, most often as a descriptor of rural or less central zones within the larger geographic setting.
Semantic Range
adjacent region, surrounding area, vicinity, countryside around, neighboring districts
Root / Etymology
From the preposition περί (around, about) and χώρα (region, country, district); a compound adjective literally meaning 'around the region/country.'
Historical & Contextual Notes
περίχωρος is primarily an adjective in Koine Greek, occasionally used substantivally with the implied noun (γῆ, 'land') understood. In classical Greek, both περίχωρος and its cognates refer to lands neighboring or encircling a main settlement. In the New Testament (e.g., Luke 3:3; 8:37; 8:39), it describes areas surrounding cities such as the Jordan, Gadara, or the Decapolis, signaling distinction between the urban center and its rural periphery. The term does not correspond to any single administrative or ethnic unit but is a general descriptor of geographic proximity. Standard English translations such as "region round about" or "surrounding country" capture the spatial nuance but may not fully convey that the referent is context-dependent and not a fixed jurisdiction. The meaning remains consistent between earlier Hellenistic sources and the New Testament, though usage in rural-urban contrasts becomes more pronounced in Koine contexts.
Original Strong's Gloss (1890)
from περί and χώρα; around the region, i.e. circumjacent (as noun, with γῆ implied vicinity):--country (round) about, region (that lieth) round about.
Root Family
περίχωρος (perichōros) — surrounding region, adjacent area, surrounding countryside, neighboring district
Word Forms
4 distinct forms
| SIDANCE | Surface | Transliteration | Morphology | Common | SIBI-P1 | Occurrences |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
G4066-02 |
περίχωρον | perichoron | ADJ.S ACC F SG |
region | surrounding region | 4 |
G4066-04 |
περιχώρου | perichorou | ADJ.S GEN F SG |
region | of the surrounding region | 3 |
G4066-01 |
περιχώρῳ | perichoro | ADJ.S DAT F SG |
region round about | to the surrounding region | 1 |
G4066-03 |
περίχωρος | perichoros | ADJ.S NOM F SG |
region | surrounding region | 1 |
Occurrences in Scripture
9 total occurrences
| SIDANCE | Reference | Word | Transliteration | Morphology | Common | SIBI-P1 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
G4066-03 |
Matthew 3:5 | περίχωρος | perichoros | ADJ.S NOM F SG |
region | surrounding region |
G4066-02 |
Matthew 14:35 | περίχωρον | perichoron | ADJ.S ACC F SG |
surrounding region | |
G4066-02 |
Mark 1:28 | περίχωρον | perichoron | ADJ.S ACC F SG |
region | surrounding region |
G4066-02 |
Luke 3:3 | περίχωρον | perichoron | ADJ.S ACC F SG |
the region | surrounding region |
G4066-04 |
Luke 4:14 | περιχώρου | perichorou | ADJ.S GEN F SG |
region | of the surrounding region |
G4066-04 |
Luke 4:37 | περιχώρου | perichorou | ADJ.S GEN F SG |
surrounding district | of the surrounding region |
G4066-01 |
Luke 7:17 | περιχώρῳ | perichoro | ADJ.S DAT F SG |
region round about | to the surrounding region |
G4066-04 |
Luke 8:37 | περιχώρου | perichorou | ADJ.S GEN F SG |
region | of the surrounding region |
G4066-02 |
Acts 14:6 | περίχωρον | perichoron | ADJ.S ACC F SG |
region | surrounding region |