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Πρίσκα

Príska

G4251 noun

SILEX Entry

Definition

Prisca (female personal name); the proper name of a woman of Latin origin found in Greek texts, especially associated with early Christian circles. In the New Testament, this name refers to a prominent woman who, along with her husband Aquila, is noted as a companion of Paul. The primary function is nominative as a personal identifier, with no descriptive or adjectival force in Greek.

Semantic Range

a feminine proper name, Prisca; woman associated with early Christian movement; formal variant of Priscilla

Root / Etymology

From the Latin adjective 'priscus' (meaning 'ancient, old, venerable'), with Prisca being the feminine form. The Greek rendering is a direct transliteration of the Latin name. See also Πρίσκιλλα (Priskilla), the diminutive or affectionate form.

Historical & Contextual Notes

Prisca is notable in early Christian literature as the wife of Aquila and a significant figure in the Pauline mission (Acts, Romans, 1 Corinthians, 2 Timothy). Both Πρίσκα and Πρίσκιλλα appear in the Greek New Testament (often considered interchangeable, though 'Prisca' is likely the formal/legal name and 'Priscilla' the diminutive/familiar form, as per Roman custom). The name does not carry lexical meaning in Greek beyond its function as a personal name. Its Latin origin reflects cultural hybridity in first-century Rome and the wider Mediterranean, where Latin and Greek names and forms often coexisted. Standard English translations often use 'Prisca' or 'Priscilla' according to context and tradition, sometimes blurring the distinction between the two forms; neither term would have been understood as having a descriptive meaning in most Greek or Latin sources, but rather as a given name referencing ancestry or tradition.

Original Strong's Gloss (1890)

of Latin origin; feminine of Priscus, ancient; Priska, a Christian woman:--Prisca. See also Πρίσκιλλα.

Root Family

Πρίσκα (Priska) — personal name, ancient (by etymology)

Root Πρίσκ- personal name, ancient (by etymology)

Word Forms

2 distinct forms

SIDANCE Surface Transliteration Morphology Common SIBI-P1 SIBI-P2 Occurrences
G4251-02 Πρίσκαν priskan N ACC F SG Prisca Prisca Priska 2
G4251-01 Πρίσκα priska N NOM F SG Priscilla Prisca Priska 1

Occurrences in Scripture

3 occurrences

SIDANCE Reference Word Transliteration Morphology Common SIBI-P1 SIBI-P2
G4251-02 Romans 16:3 Πρίσκαν priskan N ACC F SG Prisca Prisca Priska
G4251-01 1 Corinthians 16:19 Πρίσκα priska N NOM F SG Priscilla Prisca Priska
G4251-02 2 Timothy 4:19 Πρίσκαν priskan N ACC F SG Prisca Prisca Priska
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