φλυαρέω
phlyaréō
G5396 verb
SILEX Entry
Definition
To engage in empty, foolish, or idle talk; to speak nonsense or chatter senselessly, often with the sense of making groundless accusations or speaking slanderously. The verb may denote chatter, prattle, or the act of talking at length about trivial or baseless matters, sometimes with the intent to malign or discredit others.
Semantic Range
to speak foolishly, to chatter idly, to babble, to make groundless accusations, to slander or defame with empty words, to prate against
Root / Etymology
From the adjective φλύαρος ('foolish talker', 'babbler', 'silly') which itself is derived from the root φλύα-; possibly imitative in origin, reflecting the sound of meaningless speech. No clear connection to non-Greek roots.
Historical & Contextual Notes
In Classical Greek, the related noun φλυαρία referred to nonsense, silly talk, or absurd stories. The verb φλυαρέω itself is rare in extant literature, attested chiefly in later Koine sources, including the New Testament (see 3 John 10) and some papyri. In these contexts, it conveys a sense of malicious or slanderous speech—empty accusations or talking abusively without substance. English translations such as 'prate,' 'bring unrighteous charges,' or 'malicious gossip' attempt to capture this shade of meaning, but often miss the emphasis on idle or vain talk. The term does not have specific religious or technical connotations, but in the New Testament its negative moral weight is context-dependent. In contrast to σκευολογέω ('to lie, make up stories') or λαλέω ('to speak, talk'), φλυαρέω marks the talk as particularly senseless, empty, and often damaging. The underlying idea is not simply talking much, but talking in a way that is both foolish and injurious. The term is more pointed than the English 'babble,' carrying a connotation of harmful or defamatory nonsense rather than mere idle chatter.
Original Strong's Gloss (1890)
from φλύαρος; to be a babbler or trifler, i.e. (by implication) to berate idly or mischievously:--prate against.
Root Family
φλυαρέω (phlyareō) — to babble, to prattle, to speak nonsense
Word Forms
1 distinct form
| SIDANCE | Surface | Transliteration | Morphology | Common | SIBI-P1 | SIBI-P2 | Occurrences |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
G5396-01 |
φλυαρῶν | phluaron | V PRS ACT PTCP NOM M SG |
prating | babbling idly | prating | 1 |
Occurrences in Scripture
1 occurrence
| SIDANCE | Reference | Word | Transliteration | Morphology | Common | SIBI-P1 | SIBI-P2 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
G5396-01 |
3 John 1:10 | φλυαρῶν | phluaron | V PRS ACT PTCP NOM M SG |
prating | babbling idly | prating |