ἀπρόσιτος
aprósitos
G676 substantive adjective
SILEX Entry
Definition
Inaccessible; not able to be approached, entered, or attained. The adjective primarily denotes a state or quality by which something or someone is utterly beyond approach or entry, whether physically, metaphorically, or experientially. In particular contexts, it signifies being unapproachable due to inherent characteristics or by nature.
Semantic Range
inaccessible, unapproachable, not able to be reached, not entered by anyone, beyond access
Root / Etymology
From the alpha privative (ἀ-) expressing negation, and the verbal adjective from προσίημι (to approach), itself from πρός ('toward') + ἵημι ('to send'). Thus, ἀπρόσιτος literally means 'not able to be approached' or 'unapproachable.'
Historical & Contextual Notes
First attested in Classical Greek (e.g., Plato, Xenophon) to describe places, things, or persons as 'inaccessible' or 'unapproachable'—both physically (a mountain, a place) and abstractly (status, wisdom). In Hellenistic and Koine usage, including the New Testament (e.g., 1 Timothy 6:16), it is used to characterize the divine as possessing an unapproachable quality, particularly light or glory. The term never inherently carries theological meaning; its semantic range depends on the subject being described. In the Septuagint and broader Koine, it retains this sense, and English translations often render it as 'inaccessible' or 'unapproachable,' but sometimes narrow the meaning to contexts of divine or sacred distance, which is not intrinsic to the Greek itself. Contrasts with προσίτης ('accessible,' rare) and related adjectives describing approachability or openness.
Original Strong's Gloss (1890)
from Α (as a negative particle) and a derivative of a comparative of πρός and (to go); inaccessible:--which no man can approach.
Root Family
προσ- / ἵημι (ἱ-) (aprósitos) — to approach, to go toward
Word Forms
1 distinct form
| SIDANCE | Surface | Transliteration | Morphology | Common | SIBI-P1 | SIBI-P2 | Occurrences |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
G676-01 |
ἀπρόσιτον | aprositon | ADJ.S ACC N SG |
unapproachable | inaccessible | inaccessible | 1 |
Occurrences in Scripture
1 occurrence
| SIDANCE | Reference | Word | Transliteration | Morphology | Common | SIBI-P1 | SIBI-P2 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
G676-01 |
1 Timothy 6:16 | ἀπρόσιτον | aprositon | ADJ.S ACC N SG |
unapproachable | inaccessible | inaccessible |