ἀχρειόω
achreióō
G889 verb
SILEX Entry
Definition
To render useless, to make ineffective or unfit for its intended function or purpose; to become of no practical use, to be of no service. In certain contexts, can also mean to become morally or spiritually unfruitful.
Semantic Range
to render useless, to make unfit for use, to render ineffective, to become of no practical use, to be of no service, to become unprofitable, to fail to achieve intended purpose
Root / Etymology
From ἀχρεῖος (“useless, unprofitable, unserviceable”), which likely derives from the negative prefix ἀ- ('not') and χρεῖος (an old adjectival form related to χρεία, 'need, use, necessity').
Historical & Contextual Notes
Attested primarily in Koine Greek, especially in the Septuagint and New Testament. The verb ἀχρειόω appears relatively rarely and is mostly found in passive forms, such as in Romans 3:12, where it describes the moral or practical uselessness of a group ("they became unprofitable"). In the Septuagint, related forms such as ἀχρεῖος appear for things or persons rendered unfit or without worth, sometimes used of ritual unfitness. The sense of becoming "unprofitable" or "of no benefit" often extends to ethical or behavioral use, where someone is considered not fulfilling their proper function; thus, typical English renderings like 'become unprofitable' or 'become worthless' only partially convey the underlying sense of failing to meet expected usefulness or purpose. The term lacks the strong moral condemnation sometimes implied by 'worthless' in English, emphasizing instead ineffectiveness or lack of utility.
Original Strong's Gloss (1890)
from ἀχρεῖος; to render useless, i.e. spoil:--become unprofitable.
Root Family
ἀχρειόω (achreioō) — to make useless, to render unserviceable, to render ineffective
Word Forms
1 distinct form
| SIDANCE | Surface | Transliteration | Morphology | Common | SIBI-P1 | SIBI-P2 | Occurrences |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
G889-01 |
ἠχρεώθησαν | echreothesan | V AOR PASS IND 3P PL |
have become useless | they were rendered useless | they were rendered useless | 1 |
Occurrences in Scripture
1 occurrence
| SIDANCE | Reference | Word | Transliteration | Morphology | Common | SIBI-P1 | SIBI-P2 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
G889-01 |
Romans 3:12 | ἠχρεώθησαν | echreothesan | V AOR PASS IND 3P PL |
have become useless | they were rendered useless | they were rendered useless |