στιγμή
stigmḗ
G4743 noun
SILEX Entry
Definition
A precise point or mark, specifically used to denote a particular instant or moment in time. In literary and historical contexts, it indicates a sharply defined, often fleeting, temporal point (moment, instant), rather than a duration or extended period. Its core meaning is that of a spatial or temporal point, with applications predominantly in reference to time.
Semantic Range
point in time, instant, moment, precise instant, spatial point (rare, metaphorically); mark or spot (rare, in non-temporal contexts)
Root / Etymology
From the noun στίγμα (stígma, 'mark', 'dot', from the verb στίζω meaning 'to prick', 'to tattoo', 'to mark'). Originally a nominal derivative signifying a small spot, mark, or puncture, it came to be used figuratively for a point in time (i.e., a moment or instant).
Historical & Contextual Notes
First attested in late classical and Hellenistic Greek sources with limited usage. In the Septuagint and New Testament, στιγμή rarely appears, but when it does, it refers specifically to a point or instant in time, emphasizing immediacy or brevity (e.g., in Luke 4:5, referring to 'an instant/moment of time'). The word is related to στίγμα, which means a physical mark or brand, but στιγμή itself is never used for anything spatial except as a metaphor for a 'point' in time. English translations like 'moment' or 'instant' convey the functional meaning but lose the metaphorical image of a 'point' being marked. Distinct from related terms such as καιρός (season, appointed time) and χρóνος (time/span), which refer to time more generally or in terms of duration rather than precision or punctuality.
Original Strong's Gloss (1890)
feminine of στίγμα; a point of time, i.e. an instant:--moment.
Root Family
στιγμ- (stigmḗ) — point, mark, spot
Word Forms
1 distinct form
| SIDANCE | Surface | Transliteration | Morphology | Common | SIBI-P1 | SIBI-P2 | Occurrences |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
G4743-01 |
στιγμῇ | stigme | N DAT F SG |
a moment | in a precise instant | in a precise instant | 1 |
Occurrences in Scripture
1 occurrence
| SIDANCE | Reference | Word | Transliteration | Morphology | Common | SIBI-P1 | SIBI-P2 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
G4743-01 |
Luke 4:5 | στιγμῇ | stigme | N DAT F SG |
a moment | in a precise instant | in a precise instant |