τύφω
týphō
G5188 verb
SILEX Entry
Definition
To produce smoke, to emit smoke without visible flame; to smoulder or burn with little or no flame, commonly referring to the process by which material is consumed by heat, resulting in smoke or smouldering rather than a full blaze. The word can be used literally for burning materials that smoke and, in rare figurative contexts, may imply blinding or obscuration (as smoke impedes sight).
Semantic Range
to produce smoke, to emit smoke without flame, to smolder, to burn incompletely, to be consumed or blackened by smoke
Root / Etymology
From the root τύφ-, which is connected with concepts of smoke and vapor. Cognate to the noun τύφος (smoke, mist, vapor). Likely of pre-Greek origin; specific older connections are uncertain.
Historical & Contextual Notes
The verb τύφω is rare in extant Koine and Hellenistic Greek, with limited attestations even in earlier periods. Its most basic usage is literal: to describe the burning of material that smokes rather than burns completely. The related noun τύφος frequently denotes smoke, vapor, or mist. Figurative uses are more common in the later noun forms than with the verb itself; these may include ideas of concealing, blinding, or even arrogance (cf. the English word 'typhus' for fever with delirium, derived from the Greek for smoke in the mind, though not directly connected to this verb’s New Testament usage). In biblical Greek, τύφω and related terms are rare or absent, with the language typically favoring other verbs for burning or kindling. English translations that render τύφω simply as “to smoke” do not convey potential subtlety between visible flame and smouldering combustion, nor the word’s low frequency and lack of specialized religious or metaphorical usage in the biblical corpus.
Original Strong's Gloss (1890)
apparently a primary verb; to make a smoke, i.e. slowly consume without flame:--smoke.
Root Family
τύφω (typhō) — to smoke, to smoulder, to emit smoke without flame
Word Forms
1 distinct form
| SIDANCE | Surface | Transliteration | Morphology | Common | SIBI-P1 | SIBI-P2 | Occurrences |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
G5188-01 |
τυφόμενον | tuphomenon | V PRS PASS PTCP ACC N SG |
smoldering | being made to smoulder | smoldering | 1 |
Occurrences in Scripture
1 occurrence
| SIDANCE | Reference | Word | Transliteration | Morphology | Common | SIBI-P1 | SIBI-P2 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
G5188-01 |
Matthew 12:20 | τυφόμενον | tuphomenon | V PRS PASS PTCP ACC N SG |
smoldering | being made to smoulder | smoldering |