φήμη
phḗmē
G5345 noun
SILEX Entry
Definition
An utterance or report made public; specifically, a statement, report, news, or rumor communicated among people. In extended usage, it refers to reputation or renown resulting from what is reported or rumored about a person or event. The word primarily denotes the phenomenon of information being communally expressed, transmitted, or shared, whether truthful or not, and includes both the content of the report and the impact of its circulation.
Semantic Range
utterance, report, rumor, news, a saying, public proclamation, fame, reputation
Root / Etymology
From the root φημ- (to speak, to say), related to the verb φημί (I say, speak, affirm). The noun form captures the result or product of saying or reporting. Cognate with Latin fama, showing a similar semantic development.
Historical & Contextual Notes
In classical Greek, φήμη referred broadly to speech or a saying, especially those passed from person to person, often with the nuance of an unverified report or rumor (e.g., Homer, Herodotus). It was also personified as a goddess (Fama) who spread news, good or bad. By the Hellenistic period, it could denote general reputation or public report. In the Septuagint and New Testament, φήμη tends to refer to circulating news about someone or something, not necessarily limited to positive or negative content. In the New Testament, it usually denotes the spreading of report or fame due to notable deeds (e.g., miraculous acts of Yeshua), focusing on how quickly news spreads among the populace. English translations often settle on 'rumor,' 'report,' or 'fame,' but these can mask the word's broader semantic range, as φήμη does not inherently evaluate the truth or value of what is being spread, unlike more evaluative terms (e.g., δόξα 'glory, reputation').
Original Strong's Gloss (1890)
from φημί; a saying, i.e. rumor ("fame"):--fame.
Root Family
φήμη (phēmē) — utterance, report, rumor, news, reputation
Word Forms
1 distinct form
| SIDANCE | Surface | Transliteration | Morphology | Common | SIBI-P1 | Occurrences |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
G5345-01 |
φήμη | pheme | N NOM F SG |
a fame | a report | 2 |
Occurrences in Scripture
2 total occurrences
| SIDANCE | Reference | Word | Transliteration | Morphology | Common | SIBI-P1 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
G5345-01 |
Matthew 9:26 | φήμη | pheme | N NOM F SG |
a report | |
G5345-01 |
Luke 4:14 | φήμη | pheme | N NOM F SG |
a fame | a report |