πλέω
pléō
G4126 verb
SILEX Entry
Definition
To travel or move by means of a vessel across water; to sail. In the New Testament and contemporaneous literature, used specifically of traversing bodies of water by sailing, usually by boat or ship. Extended uses may refer more generally to movement over water rather than the act of navigation itself.
Semantic Range
to sail, to travel by boat, to set out in a vessel, to voyage by ship, to cross by water
Root / Etymology
Derived from the root πλε- (plé-), directly attested in ancient Greek as πλέω. Not derived from πλύνω (to wash) despite similarity in form. Cognate with Latin 'pleo' (to sail); ultimately of Indo-European origin related to movement/floating. The etymology is ancient and not directly related to washing or plunging, despite the Strong's suggestion.
Historical & Contextual Notes
Attested from Homeric Greek onward, πλέω is widely used throughout classical, Hellenistic, and Koine periods. In Homer, it typically describes the act of voyaging by ship. In the New Testament (e.g., Acts), it describes actual processes of sailing, suggesting travel rather than simply floating or being on water. Rarely, it can carry broader metaphorical senses in other literature, but these are not prominent in the biblical corpus. The verb is distinct from πλύνω ('to wash'), contrary to older theories based largely on folk etymology. In LXX and contemporary Greek literature, πλέω remains focused on sailing or traveling by boat, covering both the action itself and, by extension, the journey. English translations typically render it as 'to sail' or 'to set sail', which accurately reflect its core meaning.
Translation Consistency
πλέω most commonly means to travel by vessel across water. “Sail” is the natural, everyday English verb that captures the primary sense (to travel by ship/boat, to cross by water) and fits the majority of attested renderings. It is short, idiomatic, and can be inflected consistently for all forms.
Original Strong's Gloss (1890)
probably a form of πλύνω (through the idea of plunging through the water); to pass in a vessel:--sail. See also πλήθω.
Root Family
πλέω (pleō) — to sail, to travel by ship, to move over water
Word Forms
5 distinct forms
| SIDANCE | Surface | Transliteration | Morphology | Common | SIBI-P1 | SIBI-P2 | Occurrences |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
G4126-03 |
πλέον | pleon | V PRS ACT PTCP ACC N SG |
sailing | sailing | sailing | 2 |
G4126-02 |
πλεῖν | plein | V PRS ACT INF |
to sail | to sail | sail | 1 |
G4126-04 |
πλέοντας | pleontas | V PRS ACT PTCP ACC M PL |
who are sailing | those sailing | sailing | 1 |
G4126-01 |
ἐπλέομεν | epleomen | V IMPF ACT IND 1P PL |
we sailed | we were sailing | we were sailing | 1 |
G4126-05 |
πλεόντων | pleonton | V PRS ACT PTCP GEN M PL |
as they were sailing | of those sailing | as they were sailing | 1 |
Occurrences in Scripture
6 occurrences
| SIDANCE | Reference | Word | Transliteration | Morphology | Common | SIBI-P1 | SIBI-P2 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
G4126-05 |
Luke 8:23 | πλεόντων | pleonton | V PRS ACT PTCP GEN M PL |
as they were sailing | of those sailing | as they were sailing |
G4126-01 |
Acts 21:3 | ἐπλέομεν | epleomen | V IMPF ACT IND 1P PL |
we sailed | we were sailing | we were sailing |
G4126-02 |
Acts 27:2 | πλεῖν | plein | V PRS ACT INF |
to sail | to sail | sail |
G4126-03 |
Acts 27:6 | πλέον | pleon | V PRS ACT PTCP ACC N SG |
sailing | sailing | sailing |
G4126-04 |
Acts 27:24 | πλέοντας | pleontas | V PRS ACT PTCP ACC M PL |
who are sailing | those sailing | sailing |
G4126-03 |
Revelation 18:17 | πλέων | pleon | V PRS ACT PTCP NOM M SG |
voyaging | sailing | sailing |