ψωμίζω
psōmízō
G5595 verb
SILEX Entry
Definition
To feed (especially by giving morsels or pieces of food); to supply with bread or nourishment. In Koine usage, primarily refers to the act of giving food, sometimes with the nuance of personally distributing or bestowing portions of food to another, often in a manner suggesting care or condescension.
Semantic Range
to feed, to provide morsels of food, to distribute bread or pieces of food, to bestow food, to nourish (by giving)
Root / Etymology
From ψωμίον (‘morsel, piece of bread’), itself a diminutive of ψωμός (‘a small bit, morsel’), which comes from ψω- (‘to rub, to crumble’), with the verb-forming suffix -ίζω; thus, literally 'to give morsels'.
Historical & Contextual Notes
The verb ψωμίζω is uncommon in Classical Greek and is more frequently attested in Koine. It most often appears in contexts involving the distribution of food to others, sometimes with an overtone of charity or generosity. In the New Testament, it is notably used in Rom 12:20, in the context of providing food to one’s enemy. The act can imply both a simple nourishing action and a more deliberate gesture of bestowal. Standard English translations like ‘feed’ may not fully capture the overtone of giving in small portions or in a way that indicates the granter’s initiative. The verb’s nuance is distinct from general feeding verbs like τρέφω (to nourish/bring up), focusing instead on the act of giving actual pieces or portions (as of bread).
Original Strong's Gloss (1890)
from the base of ψωμίον; to supply with bits, i.e. (generally) to nourish:--(bestow to) feed.
Root Family
ψωμίζω (psōmizō) — to give a morsel, to supply with food, to feed by distributing pieces
Word Forms
2 distinct forms
| SIDANCE | Surface | Transliteration | Morphology | Common | SIBI-P1 | SIBI-P2 | Occurrences |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
G5595-02 |
ψώμιζε | psomize | V PRS ACT IMP 2P SG |
feed | keep giving morsels | keep giving morsels | 1 |
G5595-01 |
ψωμίσω | psomiso | V AOR ACT SUBJ 1P SG |
I give away to feed | I may give morsels | I may give to feed | 1 |
Occurrences in Scripture
2 occurrences
| SIDANCE | Reference | Word | Transliteration | Morphology | Common | SIBI-P1 | SIBI-P2 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
G5595-02 |
Romans 12:20 | ψώμιζε | psomize | V PRS ACT IMP 2P SG |
feed | keep giving morsels | keep giving morsels |
G5595-01 |
1 Corinthians 13:3 | ψωμίσω | psomiso | V AOR ACT SUBJ 1P SG |
I give away to feed | I may give morsels | I may give to feed |