πέτομαι (G4072) — Greek Lexicon

πέτομαι

pétomai

G4072 verb

SILEX Entry

Definition

To move through the air by means of wings or an analogous mode of locomotion; to fly. In extended or metaphorical uses, to move swiftly or soar, or to be airborne. The primary sense is of flight by birds or winged creatures, but may also refer to any rapid movement through the air or, by extension, swift movement more generally.

Semantic Range

to fly (of birds or winged creatures), to move or rush swiftly (figurative or poetic), to be airborne, to soar

Root / Etymology

From the root πετ- in Greek, associated with movement through the air, especially as applied to birds and other winged beings. Cognate with the reduplicated form πέτομαι found in Homeric and classical Greek. There is no clear derivation from outside of Greek, and the verb is considered inherited from Proto-Indo-European *pet-, 'to rush, to fly'.

Historical & Contextual Notes

πέτομαι is a standard Greek verb found from Homer onward, nearly always in the middle or passive voice. In classical and Hellenistic Greek it regularly refers to birds or creatures flying, but can also be used metaphorically for swift movement (such as arrows, projectiles, or even people in poetic contexts). In the Septuagint and New Testament, πέτομαι is rare and typically descriptive of birds or other winged beings, aligning with the general Greek use. English standard translations almost always render it as 'fly' or 'flying,' but this translation loses the nuance when the word is used figuratively for swift or soaring motion. In biblical literature, its usage is literal and does not incorporate overtly metaphorical or theological meanings.

Translation Consistency

primary "fly" 5 occurrences

Primary meaning is to move through the air by wings; 'fly' is the natural, common English verb covering both literal flight and extended/figurative senses (soar, rush swiftly) and therefore fits the typical usage across forms.

✓ All renderings match approved senses

Original Strong's Gloss (1890)

middle voice of a primary verb; to fly:--fly(-ing).

Root Family

πέτομαι (petomai) — to fly, to move swiftly through the air, to soar

Root πετ- to fly, to move swiftly through the air

Word Forms

5 distinct forms

SIDANCE	Surface	Transliteration	Morphology	Common	SIBI-P1	SIBI-P2	Occurrences
`G4072-04`	πετόμενον	petomenon	`V PRS MID PTCP ACC M SG`	flying	flying	flying	1
`G4072-02`	πετομένῳ	petomeno	`V PRS MID PTCP DAT M SG`	flying	to the one flying	flying	1
`G4072-03`	πετομένοις	petomenois	`V PRS MID PTCP DAT N PL`	fly	to the ones flying for themselves	flying	1
`G4072-05`	πετομένου	petomenou	`V PRS MID PTCP GEN M SG`	flying	of the one flying	flying	1
`G4072-01`	πέτηται	petetai	`V PRS MID SUBJ 3P SG`	she might fly	may be flying	she may fly	1

Occurrences in Scripture

5 occurrences

Filter by SIDANCE:

SIDANCE	Reference	Word	Transliteration	Morphology	Common	SIBI-P1	SIBI-P2
`G4072-02`	Revelation 4:7	πετομένῳ	petomeno	`V PRS MID PTCP DAT M SG`	flying	to the one flying	flying
`G4072-05`	Revelation 8:13	πετομένου	petomenou	`V PRS MID PTCP GEN M SG`	flying	of the one flying	flying
`G4072-01`	Revelation 12:14	πέτηται	petetai	`V PRS MID SUBJ 3P SG`	she might fly	may be flying	she may fly
`G4072-04`	Revelation 14:6	πετόμενον	petomenon	`V PRS MID PTCP ACC M SG`	flying	flying	flying
`G4072-03`	Revelation 19:17	πετομένοις	petomenois	`V PRS MID PTCP DAT N PL`	fly	to the ones flying for themselves	flying

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