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πτοέω

ptoéō

G4422 verb

SILEX Entry

Definition

To frighten, to cause fear or alarm in someone; primarily, to make someone suddenly afraid or startled, leading to agitation or dismay. The word often conveys the sense of an active external source causing fear, rather than a mere internal feeling. In transferred contexts, it can refer to being thrown into confusion or emotional disturbance.

Semantic Range

to frighten, to terrify, to cause sudden fear, to throw into panic or confusion, to agitate emotionally

Root / Etymology

Derived from the root πτο-, likely related to the verb πίπτω (to fall) or possibly πέτομαι (to fly), with the underlying ideas involving sudden movement or agitation as a result of fear. The precise etymology is uncertain, but both possible connections point to an experience of sudden, involuntary reaction – either 'striking down' or 'making to flee.'

Historical & Contextual Notes

πτοέω is uncommon in classical Greek, where intensive forms or compounds (such as ἐκπτοέω) and the related noun πτόησις are more frequently used. In Koine Greek, including the Septuagint and New Testament, it denotes a sudden fright or agitation induced by an outside force or event. The verb tends to emphasize the abruptness of the fear or the act of causing fear, as opposed to a long-standing state of anxiety (which might use other terms such as φοβέω). English translations often render πτοέω as 'frighten,' 'terrify,' or 'alarm,' but underlying connotations include an element of being disrupted or unsettled, sometimes almost to the point of panic. Its use is frequently metaphorical alongside supernatural phenomena or authoritative pronouncements, in contrast to words denoting respect, awe, or reverence, which might be translated similarly but reflect a different semantic field.

Original Strong's Gloss (1890)

probably akin to the alternate of πίπτω (through the idea of causing to fall) or to πέτομαι (through that of causing to fly away); to scare:--frighten.

Root Family

πτοέω (ptoéō) — to frighten, to startle, to throw into panic

Root πτο- to frighten, to startle, to throw into panic

Word Forms

2 distinct forms

SIDANCE Surface Transliteration Morphology Common SIBI-P1 SIBI-P2 Occurrences
G4422-02 πτοηθῆτε ptoethete V AOR PASS SUBJ 2P PL be terrified you may be frightened you may be frightened 1
G4422-01 πτοηθέντες ptoethentes V AOR PASS PTCP NOM M PL having been startled having been frightened having been startled 1

Occurrences in Scripture

2 occurrences

SIDANCE Reference Word Transliteration Morphology Common SIBI-P1 SIBI-P2
G4422-02 Luke 21:9 πτοηθῆτε ptoethete V AOR PASS SUBJ 2P PL be terrified you may be frightened you may be frightened
G4422-01 Luke 24:37 πτοηθέντες ptoethentes V AOR PASS PTCP NOM M PL having been startled having been frightened having been startled
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