ἀποκαραδοκία
apokaradokía
G603 noun
SILEX Entry
Definition
Intense, persistent expectation; a state of eager anticipation accompanied by concentration and fixed attention. The term refers to an active state of waiting or looking forward with keen interest, often implying a stretching forward or straining the head in expectation. In context, it may denote hope or suspense grounded in confident expectation.
Semantic Range
eager expectation, intense anticipation, concentrated waiting, suspenseful longing
Root / Etymology
ἀποκαραδοκία is a compound noun formed from ἀπό ('from,' indicating separation or distance), κάρα ('head'), and δοκεῖν ('to think, to seem, to expect'). The word's structure reflects the image of craning or stretching the head forward in anticipation. Etymology clearly links to the physical act of looking out for something from a fixed position, transferred metaphorically to mental or emotional expectation.
Historical & Contextual Notes
Occurs in Hellenistic Greek and in the New Testament, notably in Romans 8:19 and Philippians 1:20, where the sense is of a concentrated, forward-looking anticipation. The imagery is distinctive: the 'stretching forth of the head,' rooted in physical posture, becomes a metaphor for eager desire or expectation, unlike more general words for hope (ἐλπίζω/ἐλπίς). The term does not simply refer to passive hope, but a tension-filled, participatory waiting. In classical Greek, the specific noun ἀποκαραδοκία is unattested, but the formation and imagery rely on common elements. Standard English translations such as 'earnest expectation' or 'eager longing' capture much but may fail to convey the vividness of the original metaphor, which emphasizes both an internal anticipation and the outwardly focused, alert posture. Distinct from ἐλπὶς (hope), which may lack the sense of intense involvement.
Original Strong's Gloss (1890)
from a comparative of ἀπό and a compound of (the head) and δοκέω (in the sense of watching); intense anticipation:--earnest expectation.
Root Family
ἀποκαραδοκ- (apokaradokía) — to expect eagerly, to look forward with intense anticipation
Word Forms
2 distinct forms
| SIDANCE | Surface | Transliteration | Morphology | Common | SIBI-P1 | SIBI-P2 | Occurrences |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
G603-01 |
ἀποκαραδοκία | apokaradokia | N NOM F SG |
earnest expectation | intense eager expectation | intense eager expectation | 1 |
G603-02 |
ἀποκαραδοκίαν | apokaradokian | N ACC F SG |
earnest expectation | intense eager anticipation | intense eager anticipation | 1 |
Occurrences in Scripture
2 occurrences
| SIDANCE | Reference | Word | Transliteration | Morphology | Common | SIBI-P1 | SIBI-P2 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
G603-01 |
Romans 8:19 | ἀποκαραδοκία | apokaradokia | N NOM F SG |
earnest expectation | intense eager expectation | intense eager expectation |
G603-02 |
Philippians 1:20 | ἀποκαραδοκίαν | apokaradokian | N ACC F SG |
earnest expectation | intense eager anticipation | intense eager anticipation |