πτύρω
ptýrō
G4426 verb
SILEX Entry
Definition
to frighten, cause to be afraid, often indicating the act of frightening someone or inducing fear; to alarm or terrify, especially in contexts where external circumstances provoke a reaction of fear or intimidation.
Semantic Range
to frighten, to cause to fear, to intimidate, to cause alarm, to terrify, to discourage
Root / Etymology
The verb πτύρω is presumed to be a denominative likely related to πτύω ('to spit') or akin to πτοέω ('to terrify, startle'), but its precise derivational relationship is uncertain; etymology uncertain.
Historical & Contextual Notes
πτύρω is a rare verb in Greek, occurring only in later and Koine sources. In the New Testament it is found only at Phil 1:28, used in the passive with the meaning 'to be intimidated, to be frightened.' Unlike the more common πτοέω, which broadly describes being startled or put to flight, πτύρω is narrower, emphasizing the action of causing fright (not the state of being afraid). Its nuance focuses on psychological intimidation often in the face of opposition. The English translations often render this as 'frightened,' 'alarmed,' or 'intimidated,' but 'terrified' may overstate the nuance, which in the New Testament context is more about discouragement or shrinking back under pressure than uncontrolled terror. Classical Greek rarely attests this verb; thus in the Koine period it reflects developing lexical variation, with πτοέω remaining the dominant verb for 'to terrify.'
Original Strong's Gloss (1890)
from a presumed derivative of πτύω (and thus akin to πτοέω); to frighten:--terrify.
Root Family
πτύρω (ptyrō) — to frighten, to alarm, to terrify
Word Forms
1 distinct form
| SIDANCE | Surface | Transliteration | Morphology | Common | SIBI-P1 | SIBI-P2 | Occurrences |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
G4426-01 |
πτυρόμενοι | pturomenoi | V PRS PASS PTCP NOM M PL |
being frightened | being frightened | being frightened | 1 |
Occurrences in Scripture
1 occurrence
| SIDANCE | Reference | Word | Transliteration | Morphology | Common | SIBI-P1 | SIBI-P2 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
G4426-01 |
Philippians 1:28 | πτυρόμενοι | pturomenoi | V PRS PASS PTCP NOM M PL |
being frightened | being frightened | being frightened |