σῦκον
sŷkon
G4810 noun
SILEX Entry
Definition
A fig, the edible fruit of the fig tree (Ficus carica); in broader usage, denotes both the fruit itself and, occasionally by metonymy, the fig tree. In specific contexts, σῦκον refers directly to the literal fruit, typically as a food or agricultural product, in narrative or parable settings.
Semantic Range
fig (the fruit), fig tree (by metonymy), food, symbol of prosperity or judgment (contextual or figurative uses)
Root / Etymology
Root: σῦκον appears as a primary word in Greek, with no securely attested Indo-European origin. Some propose a non-Greek (possibly Semitic) origin due to the widespread cultivation and importance of the fig in the Eastern Mediterranean, but the etymology remains uncertain.
Historical & Contextual Notes
σῦκον is used from classical Greek onwards to denote the fig, a staple fruit in Mediterranean diets. In the New Testament and Septuagint, the word typically appears in narrative, parable, and illustrative contexts (e.g., references to fig trees bearing or not bearing figs). Figs symbolized prosperity, security, or judgment in ancient Israelite and later Judean thought (e.g., 'each under his own vine and fig tree'), but the Greek term itself is without symbolic overtones unless shaped by context. English translations almost always render σῦκον as 'fig,' but do not always convey the broader cultural associations of the fruit. The word occurs in both literal and occasional figurative uses (e.g., in parables or contrasts with other fruits, such as grapes). Related Greek terms include συκῆ (sykē, 'fig tree'). Differences in usage between the Septuagint and New Testament are minimal, though in classical Greek, the term could also appear in idioms, as in συκοφάντης (sykophantēs, possibly 'one who shows the figs,' i.e., informer). Earliest attestations are in Homeric and classical sources, showing continuity in basic meaning.
Original Strong's Gloss (1890)
apparently a primary word; a fig:--fig.
Root Family
σῦκον (sykon) — fig (the fruit), fig tree (by metonymy)
Word Forms
2 distinct forms
| SIDANCE | Surface | Transliteration | Morphology | Common | SIBI-P1 | SIBI-P2 | Occurrences |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
G4810-01 |
σῦκα | suka | N ACC N PL |
figs | figs | figs | 3 |
G4810-02 |
σύκων | sukon | N GEN N PL |
of figs | of figs | of figs | 1 |
Occurrences in Scripture
4 occurrences
| SIDANCE | Reference | Word | Transliteration | Morphology | Common | SIBI-P1 | SIBI-P2 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
G4810-01 |
Matthew 7:16 | σῦκα | suka | N ACC N PL |
figs | figs | figs |
G4810-02 |
Mark 11:13 | σύκων | sukon | N GEN N PL |
of figs | of figs | of figs |
G4810-01 |
Luke 6:44 | σῦκα | suka | N ACC N PL |
figs | figs | figs |
G4810-01 |
James 3:12 | σῦκα | suka | N ACC N PL |
figs | figs | figs |