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ἄνιπτος

ániptos

G449 attributive adjective

SILEX Entry

Definition

Not washed, especially with reference to rituals of handwashing; literally 'unwashed,' primarily used to describe hands that have not undergone washing, often denoting the absence of ceremonial cleansing before eating. The term does not refer to general cleanliness, but specifically to the lack of ritual washing practised in some Jewish traditions at communal meals.

Semantic Range

not washed, lacking ritual handwashing, ceremonially unwashed, ritually not cleansed

Root / Etymology

From the alpha privative (ἀ-, indicating negation) plus a verbal adjective from νίπτω (to wash), meaning 'not washed.' The form is a compound: ἀ- (not) + νίπτω (wash).

Historical & Contextual Notes

ἄνιπτος is attested in Hellenistic and Koine Greek and is relatively rare, attested primarily in contexts referring to ritual or ceremonial washing rather than simple physical cleanliness. In the New Testament (e.g., Mark 7:2,5; Matthew 15:20), the term is specifically associated with the Pharisaic custom of handwashing before eating, which was understood as a boundary marker of Judean/Jewish piety and purity. In Greek, ritual ablutions were known in other religious contexts but the specific emphasis on handwashing before meals was more characteristic of Second Temple Jewish tradition. The term can thus mark both a physical state (hands not washed) and a failure to observe communal custom. Early English translations rendered the term as 'unwashen,' but this archaic English word does not make plain the ritual context. In the Septuagint and other earlier Greek sources the term is infrequent, as these particular ritual washings were not standard outside Judean contexts. Distinct from καθαρός (clean, pure) and ἀκάθαρτος (unclean), which carry broader ritual and moral overtones.

Original Strong's Gloss (1890)

from Α (as a negative particle) and a presumed derivative of νίπτω; without ablution:--unwashen.

Root Family

νιπτ- (niptḗr) — to wash, cleanse

Root νιπτ- to wash, cleanse
Strong's Lemma SIBI-P1
G3537 νιπτήρ washing basin

Word Forms

1 distinct form

SIDANCE Surface Transliteration Morphology Common SIBI-P1 SIBI-P2 Occurrences
G449-01 ἀνίπτοις aniptois ADJ.A DAT F PL unwashed to ritually unwashed unwashed 2

Occurrences in Scripture

2 occurrences

SIDANCE Reference Word Transliteration Morphology Common SIBI-P1 SIBI-P2
G449-01 Matthew 15:20 ἀνίπτοις aniptois ADJ.A DAT F PL unwashed to ritually unwashed unwashed
G449-01 Mark 7:2 ἀνίπτοις aniptois ADJ.P DAT F PL unwashed to ritually unwashed unwashed
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