ἀπομάσσομαι
apomássomai
G631 verb
SILEX Entry
Definition
To wipe off, to remove a substance from a surface by rubbing or wiping—often with the hand or cloth. In context: to cleanse, to scrape or wipe away dust, sweat, or other material. Frequently used of gestures indicating separation or disassociation, such as shaking off dust from one’s feet as a symbolic act.
Semantic Range
to wipe off (substance), to scrape away, to cleanse by wiping, to remove dust or dirt by rubbing, to symbolically disassociate (by wiping off dust)
Root / Etymology
From the preposition ἀπό (away, from) and μάσσω (to knead, press, wipe), in the middle voice indicating action performed and experienced by the subject (i.e., 'wipe off oneself' or 'scrape off for oneself'). The verb μάσσω is rare and primarily found in later Greek.
Historical & Contextual Notes
Attested in Hellenistic and Koine Greek, ἀπομάσσομαι appears in contexts where a physical or symbolic removal is indicated, including medical or ritual cleanliness and gestures of repudiation or disassociation. In the Septuagint and New Testament, it is specifically associated with the removal of dust as a symbolic gesture (cf. Matthew 10:14, Luke 10:11, Acts 13:51), serving to break association or responsibility. Earlier Greek employs similar verbs (e.g., ἐκμάσσω, 'to wipe off'), but ἀπομάσσομαι in the middle voice emphasizes the agent's participation in the action and consequence. English translations often render it 'wipe off,' 'shake off,' or 'scrape off,' but these do not capture the symbolic dimension in some passages, where it underscores a deliberate withdrawal of connection or obligation.
Original Strong's Gloss (1890)
middle voice from ἀπό and (to squeeze, knead, smear); to scrape away:--wipe off.
Root Family
ἀπομάσσομαι (apomassomai) — to wipe, to clean, to scrape, to wipe away
Word Forms
1 distinct form
| SIDANCE | Surface | Transliteration | Morphology | Common | SIBI-P1 | Occurrences |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
G631-01 |
ἀπομασσόμεθα | apomassometha | V PRS MID IND 1P PL |
we wipe off | we wipe off from ourselves | 1 |
Occurrences in Scripture
1 total occurrence
| SIDANCE | Reference | Word | Transliteration | Morphology | Common | SIBI-P1 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
G631-01 |
Luke 10:11 | ἀπομασσόμεθα | apomassometha | V PRS MID IND 1P PL |
we wipe off | we wipe off from ourselves |