ἀνθρωποκτόνος
anthrōpoktónos
G443 noun
SILEX Entry
Definition
One who intentionally causes the death of a human being—a murderer; in some contexts, one who destroys life (figuratively or literally). The term primarily connotes an agent responsible for killing a person with violence or malice, distinguishing intentional killing from accidental or judicial execution.
Semantic Range
murderer, killer of a person, manslayer, one who destroys life (figuratively or literally)
Root / Etymology
From ἄνθρωπος (human being, person) + the verbal adjective -κτόνος (killer, slayer), derived from κτείνω (to kill, to slay). Thus, 'human-killer' or 'one who kills a person'.
Historical & Contextual Notes
The word ἀνθρωποκτόνος is a compound formed for precise descriptive effect, rarely found in earlier classical Greek but attested in Hellenistic and later Jewish-Greek writings. In the Septuagint and New Testament, it appears as a term for murderers (e.g., John 8:44, 1 John 3:15), where it is used both concretely (for someone who has committed murder) and figuratively (as in attributing murderous intentions or actions to a person or spiritual entity). The root -κτόνος emphasizes the act of slaying, whereas φονεύς (G5406) is the more common term for 'murderer' in both classical and Koine Greek, often used in legal or narrative contexts. In English translations, it is usually rendered 'murderer,' but this may obscure the derogatory or emphatic force of the compound. The term can serve as intensification, particularly in polemical or moralistic passages. There is no significant development in meaning across the brief period of its use, though its rarity underscores its forcefulness when selected. Accurately reflects both an act (the killing) and status (the one who kills), distinguished from accidental or judicial killings.
Original Strong's Gloss (1890)
from ἄνθρωπος and (to kill); a manslayer:--murderer. Compare φονεύς.
Root Family
ἀνθρωποκτόνος (anthrōpoktonos) — killer of a person, slayer, destroyer of human life
Word Forms
1 distinct form
| SIDANCE | Surface | Transliteration | Morphology | Common | SIBI-P1 | Occurrences |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
G443-01 |
ἀνθρωποκτόνος | anthropoktonos | N NOM M SG |
murderer | human-killer | 3 |
Occurrences in Scripture
3 total occurrences
| SIDANCE | Reference | Word | Transliteration | Morphology | Common | SIBI-P1 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
G443-01 |
John 8:44 | ἀνθρωποκτόνος | anthropoktonos | N NOM M SG |
murderer | human-killer |
G443-01 |
1 John 3:15 | ἀνθρωποκτόνος | anthropoktonos | N NOM M SG |
is a murderer | human-killer |
G443-01 |
1 John 3:15 | ἀνθρωποκτόνος | anthropoktonos-2 | N NOM M SG |
murderer | human-killer |