Τύραννος
Týrannos
G5181 noun
SILEX Entry
Definition
Týrannos is a masculine proper noun used as a personal name, most notably for an individual in Ephesus associated with Paul. As a common noun in broader Greek usage (τύραννος), it refers to a sole ruler or autocrat—often, but not necessarily, one ruling without legitimate authority; it typically conveys the sense of an absolute ruler, often with overtones of harshness or oppression. In the specific New Testament context, Τύραννος refers to a person named Tyrannus, with no connotation of his character or style of rule implied by the name itself.
Semantic Range
personal name (Tyrannus); absolute ruler, sole monarch, despot, autocrat (in broader Greek usage); person exercising authority without legitimate succession
Root / Etymology
Τύραννος is borrowed into Greek (likely from a pre-Greek or Anatolian language; some suggest Lydian roots), where it became the standard term for a sole or absolute ruler. It is not related etymologically to κύριος (‘lord’) despite superficial resemblance. The word appears with both negative and neutral connotations in classical literature.
Historical & Contextual Notes
In the New Testament (Acts 19:9), Τύραννος is used strictly as a proper name, referring to an individual in Ephesus who owned or managed a lecture hall where Paul taught. There is no evidence that this individual was in fact a political 'tyrant' or ruler; the name may have been common in parts of the Greek world, separate from the meaning of 'autocrat.' In classical literature, τύραννος frequently describes a sovereign without legitimate hereditary succession, and over time acquired a strongly negative sense: an oppressive despot. In Hellenistic and Roman periods, the term's political overtones were prominent, but as a personal name it functioned separately from these connotations. Standard English translation often renders Τύραννος as 'Tyrannus' in Acts, leaving the Greek name untranslated. The evolution of the word 'tyrant' in English to an exclusively negative meaning postdates the biblical period; in earlier Greek, the nuance was more ambiguous and context-dependent.
Original Strong's Gloss (1890)
a provincial form of the derivative of the base of κύριος; a "tyrant"; Tyrannus, an Ephesian:--Tyrannus.
Root Family
Τυρανν- (Týrannos) — absolute ruler, autocrat, sole ruler
Word Forms
1 distinct form
| SIDANCE | Surface | Transliteration | Morphology | Common | SIBI-P1 | SIBI-P2 | Occurrences |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
G5181-01 |
Τυράννου | turannou | N GEN M SG |
Tyrannus | of Tyrannus | Tyrannos | 1 |
Occurrences in Scripture
1 occurrence
| SIDANCE | Reference | Word | Transliteration | Morphology | Common | SIBI-P1 | SIBI-P2 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
G5181-01 |
Acts 19:9 | Τυράννου | turannou | N GEN M SG |
Tyrannus | of Tyrannus | Tyrannos |