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πτῶμα

ptōma

G4430 noun

SILEX Entry

Definition

Fallen object or body; most often, 'corpse' or 'dead body'—especially a body fallen in death or as the result of violence or decay. By extension, may refer more generally to anything that has collapsed or fallen into ruin (physical or metaphorical), but in Koine, typically denotes a lifeless human or animal body.

Semantic Range

corpse, dead body, carcass (animal or human), ruin, wreck, thing fallen or collapsed, decay (figurative); body killed or left exposed; (rarely) a ruin or fallen structure

Root / Etymology

From the alternate form πτῶς, related to the verb πίπτω ('to fall'). The word πτῶμα properly signifies 'that which has fallen,' corresponding to something that has lost its former state, especially by falling. In classical usage, extended from the sense of a thing fallen (such as a building or city) to a body fallen in death.

Historical & Contextual Notes

Earliest attestation in Greek literature is in classical prose and poetry (e.g., Sophocles, Herodotus), where πτῶμα can refer to the result of any fall, literal or figurative, including damage, ruin, or a fallen building. By the Hellenistic period and within the Septuagint, πτῶμα is used frequently of a dead (human or animal) body—especially where it is unburied and exposed to desecration or scavenging. In the New Testament, usage is consistent with this sense: e.g., Matthew 24:28 ('wherever the corpse is'), Revelation 11:8–9 ('their dead bodies'). English translation tradition as 'corpse,' 'carcass,' or 'dead body' reflects this main NT sense, but narrows the ancient semantic field, which could include fallen things, ruins, or destroyed structures in earlier usage. The choice of πτῶμα over other terms (e.g., σῶμα 'body', νεκρός 'dead person', θνῆμα 'corpse') often emphasizes the state of being fallen, dishonored, or left exposed. In LXX law, πτῶμα may refer to animal carcasses in the context of ritual impurity (e.g., Leviticus 5:2).

Translation Consistency

primary "corpse" 5 occurrences

πτῶμα most often denotes a dead body or carcass. 'Corpse' is the natural, concise English noun that captures the typical sense (human or animal body, often fallen/exposed) and will provide consistent rendering across all forms better than adjectival alternatives like 'fallen.'

Alternatives (2 occurrences):
"fallen bodies" (2x)

Original Strong's Gloss (1890)

from the alternate of πίπτω; a ruin, i.e. (specially), lifeless body (corpse, carrion):--dead body, carcase, corpse.

Root Family

πτῶμα (ptōma) — that which has fallen, corpse, dead body, carcass, ruin

Root πτῶ- to fall, to collapse, to descend

Word Forms

2 distinct forms

SIDANCE Surface Transliteration Morphology Common SIBI-P1 SIBI-P2 Occurrences
G4430-01 πτῶμα ptoma N ACC N SG body fallen body corpse 5
G4430-02 πτώματα ptomata N NOM N PL dead bodies fallen bodies fallen bodies 2

Occurrences in Scripture

7 occurrences

SIDANCE Reference Word Transliteration Morphology Common SIBI-P1 SIBI-P2
G4430-01 Matthew 14:12 πτῶμα ptoma N ACC N SG body fallen body corpse
G4430-01 Matthew 24:28 πτῶμα ptoma N NOM N SG carcass fallen body corpse
G4430-01 Mark 6:29 πτῶμα ptoma N ACC N SG corpse fallen body corpse
G4430-01 Mark 15:45 πτῶμα ptoma N ACC N SG body fallen body corpse
G4430-02 Revelation 11:8 πτώματα ptomata N NOM N PL dead bodies fallen bodies fallen bodies
G4430-01 Revelation 11:9 πτῶμα ptoma N ACC N SG dead body fallen body corpse
G4430-02 Revelation 11:9 πτώματα ptomata N ACC N PL dead bodies fallen bodies fallen bodies
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