φωνέω (G5455) — Greek Lexicon

φωνέω

phōnéō

G5455 verb

SILEX Entry

Definition

To produce an audible sound or voice; primarily, to make a sound (whether unintelligible or articulated), or to call out loudly. In extended uses, to call out, to summon, or to vocally address someone, which may include shouting, announcing, proclaiming, or crying out. The verb can apply to humans, animals, and even objects or natural phenomena, focusing especially on the act of vocal sound production or purposeful calling.

Semantic Range

to make a sound, to speak aloud, to call out, to summon, to cry out, to proclaim, to shout, to crow (e.g., of a rooster), to emit a sound (of animals, humans, instruments, or objects)

Root / Etymology

From the Greek noun φωνή (phōnē, 'sound, voice'), which itself is of uncertain ultimate derivation but widely attested in older Greek. The verb φωνέω is a denominative derived from this noun, indicating action related to making a sound or voice.

Historical & Contextual Notes

In classical Greek, φωνέω is used primarily of making a sound—especially making a clear or articulated vocal sound. It can refer to human speech (calling or addressing someone), to cries or calls of animals (e.g., birds, dogs), and even to voices of inanimate objects or natural phenomena (such as trumpet blasts). In the Hellenistic and Koine periods, including the Septuagint and New Testament, the word often specifically means 'to call out, to shout,' sometimes with the nuance of summoning or invoking, such as calling someone by name or summoning for attention. The sense of 'crying out' can carry emotional weight, indicating urgency, distress, or proclamation. Occasional specific uses include rooster crowing or announcing in imitation. English translations often select 'cry,' 'call,' or 'shout,' but these cover slightly different aspects of the core Greek sense, especially the generic production of an audible voice or sound. In contexts involving divine or prophetic address, φωνέω may overlap with verbs for proclamation or announcement, but it retains a focus on vocal, audible expression as opposed to written or internal communication. Distinct from related verbs such as βοάω (to shout, to yell), φωνέω emphasizes vocalization that is not necessarily loud or emotional, though it frequently is.

Translation Consistency

primary "call" 37 occurrences

"Call" is the most natural, flexible single-word rendering that covers the primary senses of φωνέω — making a vocal sound, calling out, summoning, addressing, or crying aloud. It is the most frequent simple rendering in the P2 samples and can be used naturally for humans, animals, and objects (with context supplying more specific senses like "shout" or "crow"). This supports consistent, readable translation across all forms of this Strong's number.

Alternatives (5 occurrences):

"crowed" (3x) "having cried out" (1x) "crow" (1x)

Original Strong's Gloss (1890)

from φωνή; to emit a sound (animal, human or instrumental); by implication, to address in words or by name, also in imitation:--call (for), crow, cry.

Root Family

φωνέω (phōneō) — to sound, to call, to voice

Root φων- to sound, to call, to voice

Word Forms

15 distinct forms

SIDANCE	Surface	Transliteration	Morphology	Common	SIBI-P1	SIBI-P2	Occurrences
`G5455-03`	ἐφώνησεν	ephonesen	`V AOR ACT IND 3P SG`	called	called out	called out	12
`G5455-04`	φωνεῖ	phonei	`V PRS ACT IND 3P SG`	calls	calls out	calls out	7
`G5455-06`	φωνῆσαι	phonesai	`V AOR ACT INF`	crows	to call out	to call out	6
`G5455-09`	φωνήσας	phonesas	`V AOR ACT PTCP NOM M SG`	calling	having called out	having called out	5
`G5455-02`	ἐφώνησαν	ephonesan	`V AOR ACT IND 3P PL`	they called	they called out	they called	2
`G5455-11`	φωνήσῃ	phonese	`V AOR ACT SUBJ 3P SG`	crow	might call out	might call out	1
`G5455-10`	φωνήσατε	phonesate	`V AOR ACT IMP 2P PL`	Call	Call out!	Call out	1
`G5455-05`	φωνεῖτέ	phoneite	`V PRS ACT IND 2P PL`	call	you (plural) are calling out	you are calling out	1
`G5455-15`	φωνοῦσι	phonousi	`V PRS ACT IND 3P PL`	they called	they are sounding forth	they call	1
`G5455-08`	φωνήσαντες	phonesantes	`V AOR ACT PTCP NOM M PL`	calling out	having called out	having called out	1
`G5455-13`	φώνησον	phoneson	`V AOR ACT IMP 2P SG`	call	Call out!	call	1
`G5455-07`	φωνῆσαν	phonesan	`V AOR ACT PTCP NOM N SG`	having cried out	having sounded	having cried out	1
`G5455-12`	φωνήσει	phonesei	`V FUT ACT IND 3P SG`	crow	he/she/it will sound	will crow	1
`G5455-14`	φωνηθῆναι	phonethenai	`V AOR PASS INF`	to be called	to be called out	to be called out	1
`G5455-01`	ἐφώνει	ephonei	`V IMPF ACT IND 3P SG`	he cried	he was calling out	he was calling out	1

Occurrences in Scripture

42 occurrences

Filter by SIDANCE:

SIDANCE	Reference	Word	Transliteration	Morphology	Common	SIBI-P1	SIBI-P2
`G5455-03`	Matthew 20:32	ἐφώνησεν	ephonesen	`V AOR ACT IND 3P SG`	called	called out	called out
`G5455-06`	Matthew 26:34	φωνῆσαι	phonesai	`V AOR ACT INF`	crows	to call out	to call out
`G5455-03`	Matthew 26:74	ἐφώνησεν	ephonesen	`V AOR ACT IND 3P SG`	crowed	called out	crowed
`G5455-06`	Matthew 26:75	φωνῆσαι	phonesai	`V AOR ACT INF`	crow	to call out	to call out
`G5455-04`	Matthew 27:47	φωνεῖ	phonei	`V PRS ACT IND 3P SG`	calls	calls out	calls out
`G5455-07`	Mark 1:26	φωνῆσαν	phonesan	`V AOR ACT PTCP NOM N SG`	having cried out	having sounded	having cried out
`G5455-03`	Mark 9:35	ἐφώνησεν	ephonesen	`V AOR ACT IND 3P SG`	He called	called out	called out
`G5455-10`	Mark 10:49	φωνήσατε	phonesate	`V AOR ACT IMP 2P PL`	Call	Call out!	Call out
`G5455-15`	Mark 10:49	φωνοῦσι	phonousi	`V PRS ACT IND 3P PL`	they called	they are sounding forth	they call
`G5455-04`	Mark 10:49	φωνεῖ	phonei	`V PRS ACT IND 3P SG`	He is calling	calls out	calls out
`G5455-06`	Mark 14:30	φωνῆσαι	phonesai	`V AOR ACT INF`	crow	to call out	to call out
`G5455-03`	Mark 14:72	ἐφώνησεν	ephonesen	`V AOR ACT IND 3P SG`	crowed	called out	crowed
`G5455-06`	Mark 14:72	φωνῆσαι	phonesai	`V AOR ACT INF`	crows	to call out	to call out
`G5455-04`	Mark 15:35	φωνεῖ	phonei	`V PRS ACT IND 3P SG`	he calls	calls out	calls out
`G5455-01`	Luke 8:8	ἐφώνει	ephonei	`V IMPF ACT IND 3P SG`	he cried	he was calling out	he was calling out
`G5455-03`	Luke 8:54	ἐφώνησεν	ephonesen	`V AOR ACT IND 3P SG`	called out	called out	called out
`G5455-04`	Luke 14:12	φώνει	phonei	`V PRS ACT IMP 2P SG`	call	calls out	calls out
`G5455-09`	Luke 16:2	φωνήσας	phonesas	`V AOR ACT PTCP NOM M SG`	calling	having called out	having called out
`G5455-09`	Luke 16:24	φωνήσας	phonesas	`V AOR ACT PTCP NOM M SG`	cried out	having called out	having called out
`G5455-14`	Luke 19:15	φωνηθῆναι	phonethenai	`V AOR PASS INF`	to be called	to be called out	to be called out
`G5455-12`	Luke 22:34	φωνήσει	phonesei	`V FUT ACT IND 3P SG`	crow	he/she/it will sound	will crow
`G5455-03`	Luke 22:60	ἐφώνησεν	ephonesen	`V AOR ACT IND 3P SG`	crowed	called out	called out
`G5455-06`	Luke 22:61	φωνῆσαι	phonesai	`V AOR ACT INF`	crows	to call out	to call out
`G5455-09`	Luke 23:46	φωνήσας	phonesas	`V AOR ACT PTCP NOM M SG`	having cried out	having called out	having called out
`G5455-06`	John 1:48	φωνῆσαι	phonesai	`V AOR ACT INF`	to call	to call out	to call out
`G5455-04`	John 2:9	φωνεῖ	phonei	`V PRS ACT IND 3P SG`	calls	calls out	calls out
`G5455-13`	John 4:16	φώνησον	phoneson	`V AOR ACT IMP 2P SG`	call	Call out!	call
`G5455-02`	John 9:18	ἐφώνησαν	ephonesan	`V AOR ACT IND 3P PL`	they called	they called out	they called
`G5455-02`	John 9:24	ἐφώνησαν	ephonesan	`V AOR ACT IND 3P PL`	they called	they called out	they called
`G5455-04`	John 10:3	φωνεῖ	phonei	`V PRS ACT IND 3P SG`	he calls	calls out	calls out
`G5455-03`	John 11:28	ἐφώνησεν	ephonesen	`V AOR ACT IND 3P SG`	called	called out	called
`G5455-04`	John 11:28	φωνεῖ	phonei	`V PRS ACT IND 3P SG`	calls	calls out	calls out
`G5455-03`	John 12:17	ἐφώνησεν	ephonesen	`V AOR ACT IND 3P SG`	he called	called out	called out
`G5455-05`	John 13:13	φωνεῖτέ	phoneite	`V PRS ACT IND 2P PL`	call	you (plural) are calling out	you are calling out
`G5455-11`	John 13:38	φωνήσῃ	phonese	`V AOR ACT SUBJ 3P SG`	crow	might call out	might call out
`G5455-03`	John 18:27	ἐφώνησεν	ephonesen	`V AOR ACT IND 3P SG`	crowed	called out	crowed
`G5455-03`	John 18:33	ἐφώνησεν	ephonesen	`V AOR ACT IND 3P SG`	called	called out	called out
`G5455-09`	Acts 9:41	φωνήσας	phonesas	`V AOR ACT PTCP NOM M SG`	having called	having called out	having called out
`G5455-09`	Acts 10:7	φωνήσας	phonesas	`V AOR ACT PTCP NOM M SG`	he called	having called out	having called out
`G5455-08`	Acts 10:18	φωνήσαντες	phonesantes	`V AOR ACT PTCP NOM M PL`	calling out	having called out	having called out
`G5455-03`	Acts 16:28	ἐφώνησεν	ephonesen	`V AOR ACT IND 3P SG`	cried out	called out	called out
`G5455-03`	Revelation 14:18	ἐφώνησεν	ephonesen	`V AOR ACT IND 3P SG`	called	called out	called out

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