ἀποστοματίζω (G653) — Greek Lexicon

ἀποστοματίζω

apostomatízō

G653 verb

SILEX Entry

Definition

To prompt or urge someone to speak, especially by putting words into their mouth or interrogating in a manner intended to elicit a response; to question or catechize in a way that suggests or manipulates answers. In some contexts, it carries the nuance of examining or cross-examining closely, often with a negative or hostile intent.

Semantic Range

to put words in someone's mouth, to elicit a response by questioning, to interrogate or catechize suggestively or negatively, to provoke to reply, to press or ply with questions

Root / Etymology

From ἀπό (from, away from) and the stem στοματ- (from στόμα, 'mouth'). The verb is formed with the causative ending -ίζω, indicating the act of causing someone to 'speak from the mouth.'

Historical & Contextual Notes

The term ἀποστοματίζω is rare in extant Greek literature, with the only New Testament occurrence in Luke 11:53, where religious leaders 'press' or 'besiege' a speaker in hopes of making them say something incriminating. The verb appears in Hellenistic Greek to describe putting words into someone's mouth or questioning in a way that manipulates the response, often adversarially. In the New Testament context and related Greek literature, the action typically conveys a negative or aggressive strategy—testing, entrapping, or provoking. English translations sometimes render this as 'provoke to speak,' 'question closely,' or 'ply with questions,' but these can miss the nuance of manipulation or hostile motivation implicit in some uses.

Original Strong's Gloss (1890)

from ἀπό and a (presumed) derivative of στόμα; to speak off-hand (properly, dictate), i.e. to catechize (in an invidious manner):--provoke to speak.

Root Family

ἀποστοματίζω (apostomatizō) — mouth, to speak, to prompt, to interrogate

Root στοματ- mouth, to speak, to prompt

Word Forms

1 distinct form

SIDANCE	Surface	Transliteration	Morphology	Common	SIBI-P1	SIBI-P2	Occurrences
`G653-01`	ἀποστοματίζειν	apostomatizein	`V PRS ACT INF`	to question	to press with questions	to question	1

Occurrences in Scripture

1 occurrence

SIDANCE	Reference	Word	Transliteration	Morphology	Common	SIBI-P1	SIBI-P2
`G653-01`	Luke 11:53	ἀποστοματίζειν	apostomatizein	`V PRS ACT INF`	to question	to press with questions	to question

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