Brief Overview of ἀπόλλυμι (G622: Apóllymi)

1. Brief Overview:

Transliteration: Apóllymi

Root Words: ἀπό (apo), meaning “away from,” and ὄλλυμι (óllymi), meaning “to destroy” or “to lose.” Together, ἀπόλλυμι conveys the sense of “to destroy completely” or “to cause to be lost.”

Primary Meanings:

• To destroy or ruin completely.
• To cause to perish or be lost.
• To waste away or come to an end.

2. Detailed Description:

BDAG (Bauer-Danker-Arndt-Gingrich): BDAG defines ἀπόλλυμι as “to destroy,” noting its use in contexts where something is completely lost or ruined. It often carries a connotation of total loss or destruction.

Thayer’s: Thayer’s Greek Lexicon describes ἀπόλλυμι as “to destroy” or “to cause to perish,” highlighting its implications for complete loss or ruin.

Vines: Vines’ Expository Dictionary indicates that ἀπόλλυμι means “to destroy,” with a focus on the total or complete nature of the destruction.

LSJ (Liddell-Scott-Jones): LSJ defines ἀπόλλυμι as “to destroy” or “to lose,” providing examples of its use in various contexts of destruction or loss.

Strong’s Exhaustive Concordance: Strong’s defines ἀπόλλυμι as “to destroy,” consistent with its meanings of causing complete ruin or loss.

3. Usage in Classic Greek Literature:

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Homer (Iliad, 8th century BCE): Homer uses related terms to describe the destruction and loss experienced in battle, reflecting the sense of total ruin associated with ἀπόλλυμι.

Herodotus (Histories, 5th century BCE): Herodotus describes historical events involving the complete destruction of cities and peoples, illustrating the application of ἀπόλλυμι in contexts of total loss.

Aristotle (Nicomachean Ethics, 4th century BCE): Aristotle discusses concepts of destruction and loss in philosophical terms, with ἀπόλλυμι reflecting the finality and completeness of such actions.

4. Summary:

The Greek word ἀπόλλυμι (Apóllymi) means “to destroy” or “to cause to perish,” emphasizing total loss or complete ruin. It combines the idea of being “away from” and “destroying,” indicating a thorough and final act of destruction. The term is used to describe complete annihilation or loss in both literal and metaphorical contexts. Its usage in classical Greek literature underscores its role in describing total destruction or waste, illustrating the profound impact of such actions in ancient Greek thought.