φυσίωσις

physíōsis

G5450 noun

SILEX Entry

Definition

Concept of puffing up or being swollen, particularly in a figurative sense signifying arrogance, pride, or self-inflation. In contexts where it refers to people, it denotes an attitude or state of being marked by conceit, self-importance, or inflated self-regard.

Semantic Range

self-inflation, conceit, haughtiness, arrogance, pride; the state or attitude of being puffed up

Root / Etymology

Derived from the verb φυσιόω (physióō), meaning 'to puff up' or 'to inflate', which itself comes from φύσις (physis, 'nature') and ultimately from φυσάω/φυσέω ('to blow', 'to breathe').

Historical & Contextual Notes

φυσίωσις (physíōsis) is a rare noun in Koine Greek, primarily attested in late Hellenistic and early Christian writings. This form encapsulates the process or result of φυσιόω—more often used in the New Testament in its cognate verb and participle forms, which describe attitudes of haughtiness or self-exaltation, especially in the context of communal or spiritual rivalry (e.g., 1 Corinthians). The noun itself, when encountered, always carries a strong metaphorical sense rather than a physical one (unlike some classical uses of compounds of φυσάω referring to literal inflation or swelling). Modern English translations often render related terms as 'arrogance', 'pride', or 'conceit'; the Strong's gloss 'swelling' refers to the literal image, but the primary lexical force is figurative, highlighting an undue sense of self-importance. In contrast to broader terms for pride (ὕβρις, ἀλαζονεία), φυσίωσις specifically draws on the image of being puffed up, elaborating the metaphor in discourse on character or spiritual temperament.

Original Strong's Gloss (1890)

from φυσιόω; inflation, i.e. (figuratively) haughtiness:--swelling.

Root Family

φυσίωσις (physíōsis) — puffing up, inflating, self-inflation, arrogance

Root φυσί- to puff up, to inflate, to blow

Word Forms

1 distinct form

SIDANCE Surface Transliteration Morphology Common SIBI-P1 SIBI-P2 Occurrences
G5450-01 φυσιώσεις phusioseis N NOM F PL arrogance self-inflations self-inflations 1

Occurrences in Scripture

1 occurrence

SIDANCE Reference Word Transliteration Morphology Common SIBI-P1 SIBI-P2
G5450-01 2 Corinthians 12:20 φυσιώσεις phusioseis N NOM F PL arrogance self-inflations self-inflations