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ἄνθρωπος

ánthrōpos

G444 noun

SILEX Entry

Definition

A human being; an individual of the human species. The word denotes a person as a member of humanity, irrespective of gender, status, or other distinctions (in contrast to terms focusing on maleness or femaleness or national identity). In extended usage, it can refer to people collectively, mankind, or humankind. The primary sense emphasizes the universal nature of the human condition, as opposed to divine or animal realms. In some legal or formal contexts, it may refer to a specific person or individual.

Semantic Range

human being, person, man (gender-neutral), mankind, humankind, individual person, people collectively; occasionally (contextually) a male adult but not by default

Root / Etymology

Compound or related to ἀνήρ (man, male) and the root ὀπ- (to see, face, appearance), but precise etymology remains debated. Possibly denotes 'one who has the appearance of a man.' Later Greek tradition analyzed the word as ανήρ + ωψ (‘man-faced’), but this derivation is probably folk etymology.

Historical & Contextual Notes

ἄνθρωπος is the standard word for 'human being' in classical and Koine Greek, used widely from Homer through the classical period and into later Greek. Unlike ἀνήρ, which denotes an adult male in contrast to a woman or child, ἄνθρωπος is gender-inclusive unless context clearly marks maleness. In the Septuagint, ἄνθρωπος frequently renders Hebrew אָדָם (adam, 'human'), but also אִישׁ (ish, 'man'/‘person’), often blurring distinctions present in the source text. In the New Testament, the term rarely denotes a male specifically, except when contextually required; more often, it signifies any person, humanity as a whole, or ‘people’ in general. Compared to terms like δοῦλος (slave), παῖς (child/servant), or ἀνήρ (adult male), ἄνθρωπος marks the species as a whole. Standard English translations often render it as 'man' or 'men,' though this can obscure the gender-inclusivity of the term in many Greek contexts. The usage of ἄνθρωπος in philosophical literature (e.g., Aristotle) often underscores the rational or civic aspects of humans as opposed to animals or gods. In Hellenistic Jewish and early Christian texts, it often appears in contrasts between ‘human’ and ‘divine’ or ‘heavenly’ categories.

Translation Consistency

primary "human" 500 occurrences

Matches the SILEX emphasis on humanity and gender-neutral sense; it is the most common rendering in the P2 data (288 occurrences) and naturally covers individual and collective senses (human/humans/humanity). It also avoids the male-specific inflection of “man,” giving a clear, consistent, natural English base for all forms of ἄνθρωπος.

Alternatives (50 occurrences):
"man" (42x) "person" (5x) "men" (3x)

Original Strong's Gloss (1890)

from ἀνήρ and (the countenance; from ὀπτάνομαι); man-faced, i.e. a human being:--certain, man.

Root Family

ἄνθρωπος (anthrōpos) — human being, person, member of the human species

Root ἀνθρ- human being, person, member of the human species

Word Forms

8 distinct forms

SIDANCE Surface Transliteration Morphology Common SIBI-P1 SIBI-P2 Occurrences
G444-05 ἀνθρώπων anthropon N GEN M PL men of human beings of human beings 161
G444-07 Ἀνθρώπου anthropou N GEN M SG Man of a human being of a human 130
G444-06 ἄνθρωπος anthropos N NOM M SG man human being a human being 123
G444-04 ἀνθρώποις anthropois N DAT M PL men to human beings to human beings 44
G444-08 ἀνθρώπους anthropous N ACC M PL men human beings human beings 31
G444-03 ἄνθρωποι anthropoi N NOM M PL men human beings human beings 27
G444-02 ἀνθρώπῳ anthropo N DAT M SG man to a human being to a human 26
G444-01 ἄνθρωπε anthrope N VOC M SG man O human being O human being 9

Occurrences in Scripture

551 occurrences

SIDANCE Reference Word Transliteration Morphology Common SIBI-P1 SIBI-P2
G444-06 Matthew 4:4 ἄνθρωπος anthropos N NOM M SG man human being a human being
G444-05 Matthew 4:19 ἀνθρώπων anthropon N GEN M PL of men of human beings of human beings
G444-05 Matthew 5:13 ἀνθρώπων anthropon N GEN M PL men of human beings of human beings
G444-05 Matthew 5:16 ἀνθρώπων anthropon N GEN M PL men of human beings of human beings
G444-08 Matthew 5:19 ἀνθρώπους anthropous N ACC M PL people human beings human beings
G444-05 Matthew 6:1 ἀνθρώπων anthropon N GEN M PL men of human beings of human beings
G444-05 Matthew 6:2 ἀνθρώπων anthropon N GEN M PL men of human beings of human beings
G444-04 Matthew 6:5 ἀνθρώποις anthropois N DAT M PL men to human beings to human beings
G444-04 Matthew 6:14 ἀνθρώποις anthropois N DAT M PL men to human beings to human beings
G444-04 Matthew 6:15 ἀνθρώποις anthropois N DAT M PL men to human beings human beings
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