ἄτιμος
átimos
G820 predicate adjective
SILEX Entry
Definition
Lacking honor, not held in esteem; (1) lacking recognized value or social status; (2) treated with disrespect or considered insignificant; (3) used comparably for persons, things, or roles regarded as less worthy or prestigious within a particular context. In some cases, specifically refers to comparative status within a group or hierarchy, denoting relative rather than absolute lack of honor.
Semantic Range
unhonored, despised, held in disrepute, lacking honor, without recognized status, less prestigious (comparative), dishonored, insignificant, treated with disrespect
Root / Etymology
From the prefix ἀ- (negating particle, 'not') and τιμή ('honor, value, esteem'); thus, literally 'without honor' or 'unhonored.'
Historical & Contextual Notes
ἄτιμος appears in classical Greek literature with the core meaning of 'unhonored' or 'without honor,' often relating to shame, dishonor, or the absence of societal recognition (e.g., Homer's epics). In Hellenistic and Koine Greek, including the New Testament (e.g., 1 Corinthians 12:23), ἄτιμος is typically used to describe individuals, body parts, or roles considered less prestigious or lacking public esteem, especially in contrast to those that are 'honored' (έντιμος, τιμητικός). The term can have either a subjective sense ('despised, treated as unworthy') or an objective sense ('lacking status or social standing'). In Septuagint usage, it frequently denotes those who are powerless, socially marginalized, or deprived of public recognition, rather than those who are explicitly reviled. Standard English translations often use 'dishonored,' 'despised,' or 'less honorable,' which may capture the relational or comparative sense but can miss nuances of cultural status. In Greco-Roman society, τιμή was closely linked to honor, value, and one's place within social hierarchies; thus, ἄτιμος signals absence of that recognized value, not necessarily active condemnation.
Original Strong's Gloss (1890)
from Α (as a negative particle) and τιμή; (negatively) unhonoured or (positively) dishonoured:--despised, without honour, less honourable (comparative degree).
Root Family
τιμ- (éntimos) — to honor, to value, to esteem
| Strong's | Lemma | SIBI-P1 |
|---|---|---|
| G1784 | ἔντιμος | esteemed one |
| G2008 | ἐπιτιμάω | was rebuking |
| G2009 | ἐπιτιμία | judicial penalty |
| G4186 | πολύτιμος | highly valuable (masculine accusative singular) |
| G5090 | Τιμαῖος | of Timaeus |
Word Forms
2 distinct forms
| SIDANCE | Surface | Transliteration | Morphology | Common | SIBI-P1 | SIBI-P2 | Occurrences |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
G820-02 |
ἄτιμος | atimos | ADJ.P NOM M SG |
without honor | unhonored | unhonored | 2 |
G820-01 |
ἄτιμοι | atimoi | ADJ.P NOM M PL |
dishonored | unhonored ones | unhonored ones | 1 |
Occurrences in Scripture
3 occurrences
| SIDANCE | Reference | Word | Transliteration | Morphology | Common | SIBI-P1 | SIBI-P2 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
G820-02 |
Matthew 13:57 | ἄτιμος | atimos | ADJ.P NOM M SG |
without honor | unhonored | unhonored |
G820-02 |
Mark 6:4 | ἄτιμος | atimos | ADJ.P NOM M SG |
without honor | unhonored | unhonored |
G820-01 |
1 Corinthians 4:10 | ἄτιμοι | atimoi | ADJ.P NOM M PL |
dishonored | unhonored ones | unhonored ones |