Σαλαμίς

Salamís

G4529 noun

SILEX Entry

Definition

Salamis; the name of a prominent city located on the eastern coast of Cyprus. The term is used as a geographic proper noun, designating this urban center, particularly as a place of arrival or activity in historical narratives.

Semantic Range

Salamis (city in Cyprus), the city as a geographic and social locus, no metaphorical or additional senses

Root / Etymology

Probably related to σάλος (surge, swell, surf) and the suffix -ις, indicating place or locality; proposed connection is based on an association with the sea's motion against the shore, but the etymology remains uncertain.

Historical & Contextual Notes

Salamis (Σαλαμίς) was a major harbor city and an ancient political and economic center of Cyprus, with known habitation from the Late Bronze Age onward and significant importance in classical, Hellenistic, and Roman periods. In Acts 13:5, it is mentioned as the first city visited by Paul and Barnabas on their missionary journey to Cyprus. The city was known for its mixed population and its strategic port. Although the name might evoke associations with waves or surf in classical etymology, the word functions solely as a fixed toponym in the New Testament, not bearing a descriptive meaning. The use of Σαλαμίς in the text reflects a standard Greek naming of the place and does not denote broader conceptual senses or identities beyond its reference as a proper noun. English Bibles usually transliterate the name; the association with the term 'Salamis' from mainland Greece (the site of the famous naval battle) is coincidental and contextually distinct.

Original Strong's Gloss (1890)

probably from σάλος (from the surge on the shore); Salamis, a place in Cyprus:--Salamis.

Root Family

Σαλαμίς (Salamís) — surge, swell (of the sea); by extension, Salamis (city name)

Root σαλ- surge, swell (of the sea); by extension, name of a place

Word Forms

1 distinct form

SIDANCE Surface Transliteration Morphology Common SIBI-P1 SIBI-P2 Occurrences
G4529-01 Σαλαμῖνι salamini N DAT F SG Salamis to Salamis Salamis 1

Occurrences in Scripture

1 occurrence

SIDANCE Reference Word Transliteration Morphology Common SIBI-P1 SIBI-P2
G4529-01 Acts 13:5 Σαλαμῖνι salamini N DAT F SG Salamis to Salamis Salamis