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προσφωνέω

prosphōnéō

G4377 verb

SILEX Entry

Definition

To address, call out, or speak to someone, typically directly or by name; to summon or formally greet, often with a sense of initiating communication. The primary meaning is to speak or call toward a person, whether in greeting, summoning, or addressing by voice, with various contextual nuances such as announcing, signaling, or hailing someone.

Semantic Range

to address, to summon, to call toward, to hail, to announce, to speak to directly, to greet, to exclaim

Root / Etymology

From the preposition πρός ('toward') and the verb φωνέω ('to call, to speak, to sound'). The compound conveys the sense of directing one's voice or a call toward another person. The formation is straightforward and common in Greek verbal compounds.

Historical & Contextual Notes

In classical Greek, προσφωνέω is chiefly used for the act of calling out, greeting, or addressing someone with a personal or formal salutation, especially when introducing speech or attention. In Hellenistic and Koine contexts, including the Septuagint and New Testament, it often appears where someone is formally addressed, hailed, or summoned—frequently by name or with a title (e.g., 'addressing the governor', 'calling out to the crowds'). The term emphasizes the direction and intentionality of speech toward a listener, unlike generic terms for speaking or saying (e.g., λέγω, ἐρῶ) and can carry a nuance of respect or officiality, especially when a superior addresses a subordinate or vice versa. In translation traditions, renderings such as 'cry out to', 'call', 'address', or 'speak to' are common, but sometimes fail to capture the formal or intentional aspect; the word seldom occurs for general speech, but rather purposeful, directed address. Usage remains somewhat consistent between the Septuagint and New Testament, continuing its sense of direct address in narrative and dialogic contexts.

Translation Consistency

primary "call" 5 occurrences

“Call” naturally covers the primary senses in the SILEX entry—addressing, summoning, hailing, or calling out to someone—while remaining idiomatic in English. It parallels the attested P2 renderings (e.g. “called”), is easily inflected for all forms, and best preserves the typical, direct-communication sense of προσφωνέω.

Alternatives (2 occurrences):
"addressing" (2x)

Original Strong's Gloss (1890)

from πρός and φωνέω; to sound towards, i.e. address, exclaim, summon:--call unto, speak (un-)to.

Root Family

φων- (epiphōnéō) — to call, to sound, to utter aloud

Root φων- to sound, to call, to speak aloud
Strong's Lemma SIBI-P1
G2019 ἐπιφωνέω was calling out toward
G400 ἀναφωνέω called out aloud
G5455 φωνέω he was calling out
G5456 φωνή voices
G880 ἄφωνος voiceless things

Word Forms

4 distinct forms

SIDANCE Surface Transliteration Morphology Common SIBI-P1 SIBI-P2 Occurrences
G4377-02 προσεφώνησεν prosephonesen V AOR ACT IND 3P SG addressed he/she called out to he called out to 4
G4377-01 προσεφώνει prosephonei V IMPF ACT IND 3P SG he was addressing was addressing was addressing 1
G4377-03 προσφωνοῦντα prosphonounta V PRS ACT PTCP NOM N PL calling out addressing addressing 1
G4377-04 προσφωνοῦσιν prosphonousin V PRS ACT PTCP DAT N PL calling to those calling out to those calling out 1

Occurrences in Scripture

7 occurrences

SIDANCE Reference Word Transliteration Morphology Common SIBI-P1 SIBI-P2
G4377-03 Matthew 11:16 προσφωνοῦντα prosphonounta V PRS ACT PTCP NOM N PL calling out addressing addressing
G4377-02 Luke 6:13 προσεφώνησεν prosephonesen V AOR ACT IND 3P SG he called he/she called out to he called out to
G4377-04 Luke 7:32 προσφωνοῦσιν prosphonousin V PRS ACT PTCP DAT N PL calling to those calling out to those calling out
G4377-02 Luke 13:12 προσεφώνησεν prosephonesen V AOR ACT IND 3P SG called he/she called out to he called out to
G4377-02 Luke 23:20 προσεφώνησεν prosephonesen V AOR ACT IND 3P SG addressed he/she called out to called out to
G4377-02 Acts 21:40 προσεφώνησεν prosephonesen V AOR ACT IND 3P SG he addressed he/she called out to he called out to
G4377-01 Acts 22:2 προσεφώνει prosephonei V IMPF ACT IND 3P SG he was addressing was addressing was addressing
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