ἀγωνία
agōnía
G74 noun
SILEX Entry
Definition
A condition of intense struggle or severe distress, with primary reference to emotional or psychological anguish experienced under great pressure. The word signifies a state of intense anxiety, fear, or pain, often in anticipation of impending conflict or suffering. May also refer to the inner turmoil associated with the effort to endure hardship or imminent trial.
Semantic Range
state of severe distress, extreme mental or emotional anguish, psychological torment, acute anxiety before a crisis, anticipation of suffering
Root / Etymology
From ἀγών (agōn), meaning 'contest, struggle, conflict.' The suffix -ία (-ia) forms a noun indicating the state or condition resulting from the root action. Thus, ἀγωνία is the state or condition of engaging in a struggle.
Historical & Contextual Notes
In classical Greek, ἀγωνία most often referred to anxiety or apprehension before a public contest or competition, derived from the athletic and dramatic contests of Greek civic life (ἀγών). In Hellenistic and Koine Greek, especially by the first century CE, it expanded semantically to indicate any intense internal struggle—physical, emotional, or psychological. In the New Testament, notably in Luke 22:44, ἀγωνία describes the extreme psychological distress experienced by Jesus on the Mount of Olives, emphasizing internal rather than physical suffering. The English 'agony' directly transliterates the Greek term but often narrows its usage to physical pain, while in Greek, the primary sense is intense emotional or mental struggle. Unlike ἀγών (the contest itself), ἀγωνία highlights the internal state produced by the anticipation or experience of such struggle. The term is rare in both the Septuagint and the New Testament, reflecting its more specialized meaning in later Greek literature as a metaphor for deep existential distress rather than just competitive anxiety.
Original Strong's Gloss (1890)
from ἀγών; a struggle (properly, the state), i.e. (figuratively) anguish:--agony.
Root Family
ἀγωνία (agōnia) — struggle, contest, conflict, severe distress
Word Forms
1 distinct form
| SIDANCE | Surface | Transliteration | Morphology | Common | SIBI-P1 | Occurrences |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
G74-01 |
ἀγωνίᾳ | agonia | N DAT F SG |
agony | in severe inner struggle | 1 |
Occurrences in Scripture
1 total occurrence
| SIDANCE | Reference | Word | Transliteration | Morphology | Common | SIBI-P1 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
G74-01 |
Luke 22:44 | ἀγωνίᾳ | agonia | N DAT F SG |
agony | in severe inner struggle |