τροχιά
trochiá
G5163 noun
SILEX Entry
Definition
A track or path, originally referring to the mark or groove left by a wheel, and by extension any defined course, path, or sequence—especially in reference to the course or conduct of life or events. In figurative usage, the term signifies a trajectory or pattern (such as the 'course' of life or nature).
Semantic Range
wheel-track, rut, path, course, trajectory, figurative: course of conduct, pattern or process (especially of life or events)
Root / Etymology
From the noun τροχός ('wheel'), with the suffix -ιά indicating a related object or product; thus, 'a wheel track' or 'rutted path.'
Historical & Contextual Notes
In classical and Hellenistic Greek, τροχιά primarily refers to the physical track or rut made by a wheel, particularly along a road or racecourse. In metaphorical usage, especially in later Koine (such as in the New Testament epistle of James), τροχιά describes the 'course' or 'path' of life, fate, or events—highlighting an ordered or determined progression. This figurative sense is less common outside biblical and later Hellenistic-Jewish contexts. In James 3:6, the phrase 'τροχιὰ τῆς γενέσεως' ('course of nature' or 'course of life') is unique, and most English translations render it in generalized terms ('course,' 'cycle') but do not convey the original imagery of a furrow, rut, or racecourse, which would have been vivid to ancient readers. Use of τροχιά is rare in extant Greek literature, with the concrete sense dominant in non-biblical texts. Contrast with δρόμος ('race, course, journey'), which often indicates a journey or race itself rather than the track or trajectory left by it.
Original Strong's Gloss (1890)
from τροχός; a track (as a wheel-rut), i.e. (figuratively) a course of conduct:--path.
Root Family
τροχιά (trochia) — wheel, track, rut, path, course
Word Forms
1 distinct form
| SIDANCE | Surface | Transliteration | Morphology | Common | SIBI-P1 | SIBI-P2 | Occurrences |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
G5163-01 |
τροχιὰς | trochias | N ACC F PL |
paths | wheel-tracks | wheel-tracks | 1 |
Occurrences in Scripture
1 occurrence
| SIDANCE | Reference | Word | Transliteration | Morphology | Common | SIBI-P1 | SIBI-P2 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
G5163-01 |
Hebrews 12:13 | τροχιὰς | trochias | N ACC F PL |
paths | wheel-tracks | wheel-tracks |