πολύσπλαγχνος
polýsplanchnos
G4184 substantive adjective
SILEX Entry
Definition
Deeply compassionate; showing intense, heartfelt mercy or pity toward others. The term signifies not just a tendency to feel sympathy, but a profound emotional responsiveness toward suffering, typically understood as arising from the 'inward parts' (metaphorically, the seat of emotion). Can denote an exceptional degree of mercy or tenderheartedness.
Semantic Range
deeply compassionate, profoundly merciful, intensely tenderhearted, extremely pitiful, unusually sympathetic
Root / Etymology
Formed from the adjective πολύς ('much, many') and the noun σπλάγχνον ('inward parts, entrails, affections'). The compound thus literally means 'having many guts/bowels,' an idiomatic expression alluding to deep-seated emotion or compassion in Greek.
Historical & Contextual Notes
In Hellenistic and early Christian Greek, the 'splanchnic' vocabulary (σπλάγχνα) was commonly used to refer to the seat of one's deep feelings, including compassion and affection, as in 'from the heart' in English. The term occurs rarely, but its formation is transparent and follows Greek idiomatic usage. The concept of feeling compassion 'in the gut' is paralleled in Hebrew (e.g., רַחוּם/רַחַם, 'womb, compassion'). 'Very pitiful' or 'extremely compassionate' are standard English renderings, but the Greek emphasizes deep internal feeling. The term appears in late and Christian Greek, reflecting a heightened sense of mercy. When used, it emphasizes extraordinary emotional responsiveness, frequently attributed to God or Christ in early Christian texts. There is no distinct socio-religious connotation, but emotional depth is central. It is much stronger than words simply denoting 'kind' or 'merciful' (e.g., ἐλεήμων).
Original Strong's Gloss (1890)
from πολύς and σπλάγχνον (figuratively); extremely compassionate:--very pitiful.
Root Family
πολύσπλαγχνος (polýsplanchnos) — inward parts, seat of feeling, deep compassion
Word Forms
1 distinct form
| SIDANCE | Surface | Transliteration | Morphology | Common | SIBI-P1 | SIBI-P2 | Occurrences |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
G4184-01 |
πολύσπλαγχνός | polusplagchnos | ADJ.S NOM M SG |
full of compassion | deeply compassionate one | deeply compassionate one | 1 |
Occurrences in Scripture
1 occurrence
| SIDANCE | Reference | Word | Transliteration | Morphology | Common | SIBI-P1 | SIBI-P2 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
G4184-01 |
James 5:11 | πολύσπλαγχνός | polusplagchnos | ADJ.S NOM M SG |
full of compassion | deeply compassionate one | deeply compassionate one |