Hyperlinked Greek Grammatical Terms

Ellipsis– The omission of a word or phrase when it is implied by the construction; e.g., o( ku/riov e)ggu/v in Ph 4:5 where e!sti would be expected; also, e$n de/ in Ph 3:13 where a verb is expected.

Em |

Emphatic Participle–

Enallage casuum– where one case is used for another; e.g., a genitive is to be understood as an accusative.

Enclitic– Denotes a word that does not have and accent and is pronounced with the preceding word. Ph 1:20, e)n tw|= sw/mati/ mou; here, mou is enclitic with the accent moving to the ultima of the previous word. See Proclitic.

Ending–

Epanadiplosis– The repetition of a word to make a powerful effect on the reader; often due to strong emotion. See Lk 8:24, Mt 25:11, Rev 18:2. Also, the recurrence of ble/pete in Ph 3:2 (although that may better be identified as paronomasia).

Epexegetic– Additional explanation or explanatory material. Often a word in apposition is epexegetic, as in Ph 3:6 where th\n e)n no/mw| is in epexegetical apposition to dikaiosu/nh. An epexegetical infinitive clause may be added to further the thought of the main sentence, as in Ph 3:13 where e)gw\ e)mauto\n . . . kateilhfe/nai provides explanation for the main verb ou) logi/zomai. In the epexegetical infinitive the accusative is used almost like the subject of the infinitive.

Epexegetical Genitive–

Epexegetical Infinitive– See Epexegetic and Accusative of General Reference.

Epistolary Aorist– This aorist is used when a writer of a letter views the letter as the reader will. Hence, the aorist is used to describe an action that is in fact present for the writer.

Exclamatory Sentence–

F |

Feminine Gender–

Final Clause–

Final Participle–

Final Subjunctive–

Finite Verb–

First Declension–

First Person–

First-Class Condition–

Fourth-Class Condition–

Future-Perfect Tense–

Future Tense–

Futuristic– Usually used to describe verbs or participles with tenses other than future which have some temporal relationship to the future.

Futuristic Present–

G |

Gender–

Generic Use of the Article–

Genitive–

Genitive Absolute– See Absolute, Genitive.

Genitive of Apposition–

Genitive of Comparison–

Genitive of Contents–

Genitive of Direct Object–

Genitive of Material– See Genitive of Contents.

Genitive of Measure–

Genitive of Possession–

Genitive of Relationship–

Genitive of Source–

Genitive of Time–

Gnomic– Used to denote a timeless or universal truth in any of the verb tenses; e.g., a Gnomic Aorist. (Or Timeless Aorist).

Gnomic Aorist– See Gnomic.

Granville Sharp Rule–

H |

Hanging Nominative–

Hebraism– A Greek construction that shows the obvious influence of Hebrew grammar, vocabulary, or thought.

Hendiadys– This is the coordination of two ideas, one of which is dependent on the other. This is used in the NT to avoid a series of dependent genitives. See Acts 23:6, 14:17, 1:25; I Pet 4:14; Ja 5:10; Lk 2:27; etc. See Hypotactic.

Heteroclisis– Also, Metaplasm. The use of irregular forms in the declensions of nouns.

Hiatus– The presence of two vowel sounds together when a word begins with a vowel following a word that ends in a vowel; e.g. a)lla\ o( qeo\v, in Ph 2:27. See Crasis, Elision.

Historical Present–

Hortatory Subjunctive– Also Volitive Subjunctive. The use of a subjunctive to express a strong desire on the part of the speaker for something to take place. It almost has the force of an imperative except that the necessity is located in the speaker rather than in those addressed. In Ph 3:15, tou=to fronw/men should be translated “let us (or ‘we should’) think in this fashion.”

Hyperbaton– An artificial placement of a word that breaks a natural word order. Hyperbaton is usually used of adverbs. See Prolepsis.

Hypocoristic– This denotes an abbreviated personal name. For instance, )Epafra=v, Col 1:17 and 4:12 is a hypocoristic form of )Epafro/ditov, Ph 2:25 and 4:18, although they are not necessarily the same person.

Hypotactic– From u(po/taciv. The placement of a word, phrase, or clause into syntactical subordination to another by the use of subordinating conjunctions or relative pronouns. See Paratactic.

Hypotactic Conjunction– See Hypotactic, Hypotactic Clause.

Ia |

Imperatival Future–

Imperatival Indicative–

Imperatival Infinitive–

Imperatival Participle–

Imperative Mood–

Imperative of Mood–

Imperative of Entreaty–

Imperative of Permission–

Imperative of Prohibition–

Imperative Sentence–

Imperative Tense–

Imperfective Aspect–

Impersonal Agency–

Improper Preposition–

In |

Inceptive– Also, Inchoative, Ingressive. Denotes emphasis being placed on the beginning of the action or state of a verb.

Inceptive Imperfect–

Inchoative– Also, Inceptive, Ingressive. Denotes the beginning of the action or state of a verb.

Indefinite Article–

Indefinite Pronoun–

Indefinite Relative Pronoun–

Independent Clause–

Indicative Mood–

Inferential Conjunction–

Infinitive–

Infinitive of Indirect Discourse–

Infinitive of Purpose–

Infinitive of Result–

Infinitive of Time–

Infix–

Inflection–

Ingressive– Also, Inchoative, Inceptive. Denotes the beginning point of an action.

Ingressive Aorist–

Instrumental Agency–

Instrumental Dative–

Instrumental Participle–

Intensive Middle–

Intensive Perfect–

Interjection–

Intermediate Agency–

Interrogative Adverb–

Interrogative Indicative–

Interrogative Pronoun–

Interrogative Sentence–

Intransitive (Verb)– This denotes a verb or verbal construction that does not have or contain a direct object. See Transitive.

Iterative– Verbal action that is repeated over and over.

Iterative Imperfect– See Iterative.

Iterative Present– See Iterative.

J |

K |

Koine Greek–

k.t.l.– kai\ ta\ loipa/ = “and the rest”. This is an abbreviation used for Greek text similar to the English “etc.”

L |

Latinism– The obvious influence of Latin grammar or vocabulary on a New Testament Greek construction.

Less-Probable Future Condition–

Linear– See Durative.

Linking Verb–

Local Clause–

Locative Dative–

M |

Main Clause–

Masculine Gender–

Middle Voice–

Metaplasm– See Heteroclisis.

Modifier–

Mood–

Mood of Intention–

Mood of Possibility–

Mood of Probability–

Mood of Reality–

Mood of Volition–

More-Probable Future–

Morphology–

N |

Negative Particle–

Neuter Gender–

Nominative (Case) –

Nominative Absolute–

Nominative of Address–

Nominative of Appellation–

Nominatus pendens– See Absolute, Genitive.

Noun–

Noun Clause–

Noun Phrase–

Number–

Numeral–

Numerical Adverb–

O |

Oblique Case– Any case other than the nominative and vocative. In the five case system these are the genitive, dative, and accusative.

Objective Genitive– This denotes a genitive phrase where the genitive functions as the object of the construction. The substantive it modifies functions as the subject. In Ph 3:9 pi/stewv Xristou= can be translated “faith in Christ” where Christ, the genitive in question, is the object of faith. See Subjective Genitive.

Onomatopoetic– A word that imitates the sound of its phonetic origins. For instance, “buzz” or “bark” (what dogs say to each other) are words that are derived from the sounds of the animals.

Optative Mood–

Oratio variata– This denotes the use of a heterogeneous structure ( the lack of parallel) in a sentence. For instance, in Ph 1:23-24 the participle e!xwn is used with the infinitive in verse 23 but not in the parallel clause in verse 24. Often oratio variata is marked by the inclusion of a word that causes a break in the sentence structure but which is deemed necessary by the author for clarity. See Anacoluthon.

Ordinal–

Po |

Parechesis– Recurrence of the same sound with different words in close proximity to one another. Similar to assonance. See Rom 1:29, 31.

Paronomasia– The recurrence of the same word or word stem within a sentence. More strictly this is defined as the same root being used as both a verb and a substantive. See Ph 3:2-3 and 4:2; also Mt 21:41: I Tim 1:18.

Paratactic (Clauses)– From para/taciv. The coordination of two parallel words, phrases, or clauses, sometimes without connecting conjunctions or particles. See Hypotactic.

Participle Absolute–

Participle of Attendant Circumstances–

Particle–

Partitive Genitive– The genitive serves to indicate the whole of which a part is taken.

Passive Voice–

Pendens– See Absolute, Genitive.

Perfect Tense–

Perfective (Aspect)– A condition or state that is the result of past action.

Periphrastic– This denotes the use of a participle coupled with a form of ei)mi/, both with the same tense. Hence, a periphrastic imperfect is a participle following an imperfect form of ei)mi. Although the periphrastic imperfect is the most common usage of this construction the other tenses are used in the NT as well. For example, Mk 5:5 h}n kra/zwn, “He was crying out,” and Mk 5:41 o# e)stin meqermhneuo/menon, “Which is interpreted.” Periphrases means the use of lengthy construction where a shorter form might be expected. (Sometimes me/llw is used in place of the ei)mi form in periphrastic constructions).

Periphrastic Imperfect– See Periphrastic.

Periphrastic Participle– See Periphrastic.

Periphrastic Perfect–

Periphrastic Pluperfect–

Periphrastic Tense–

Permissive Passive–

Person–

Personal Agency–

Personal Pronoun–

Phrase–

Pleonasm– a habit of speech where an idea is repeated in a sentence. For instance, Mk 13:33, ble/pete, a)grupnei=te, “Watch Out! Be aware!”

Pluperfect Tense–

Plural–

Po |

Polysyndeton– The repeated use of the particle, especially kai\, in long strings of words or phrases. Notice the use of kai\ in Ph 4:12. See Asyndeton.

Positive Degree–

Possessive Pronoun–

Postposition–

Postpositive– This denotes a word that never begins a sentence. !An, ga\r, de\, and ou}v are examples of postpositive words in the NT.

Potential Optative–

Predicate–

Predicate Adjective–

Predicate Nominative–

Predictive Future–

Prefix–

Pregnant Locative– This denotes the use of e)n in a locative construction where ei)v, would be more likely. The term pregnant can also be used of other situations where the meaning or concept is not fully expressed by construction.

Preposition–

Prepositional Phrase–

Present Tense–

Primary Agency–

Principal Parts–

Proclitic– A word, usually a personal pronoun, that loses its accent to a following word and is pronounced as a unit with it. See Enclitic.

Progressive Future–

Progressive Imperfect–

Progressive Present–

Prolepsis– Simply put, prolepsis is the placement of a word, usually a substantive, out of its right place. For instance when a word is prematurely placed in a subordinate clause (II Cor 2:4 th\n a)gaph\n i#na gnw=te) or when the subject of a subordinate clause is anticipated by making it the object of the main clause (Acts 13:32-33- th\n e)paggeli/an . . . o!ti tau/thn) this is Prolepsis. See Hyperbaton.

Pronominal– Relating to pronouns.

Pronoun–

Proper Preposition–

Protasis– The preliminary, or conditional, clause to the main clause in a conditional sentence; the “if” clause. Notice the combination protasis in Ph 2:1. See Apodosis.

Psilosis– The lack of aspiration, or rough breathing, at the beginning of a word.

Punctiliar– Verbal action that is momentary. The emphasis is placed either on the beginning (ingressive) or ending (effective) of the action or on the action as a whole (constative).

Purpose Clause–

Q |

R |

Reciprocal Middle–

Reciprocal Pronoun–

Referent–

Reflexive Pronoun–

Relative Clause– See Clauses.

Relative Pronoun–

Result Clause– see Clauses.

Rhetorical Question– A question ask for rhetorical effect with no answer expected.

Sa |

Schema Atticum– A construction retained in NT Greek from the ancient Attic where a neuter plural subject takes a singular verb. See Schema Pindarikon.

Schema Pindarikon– A construction where a compound subject takes a singular verb. See Schema Atticum.

Second Declension–

Second Person–

Secondary Agency–

Second-Class Condition–

Semitisms–

Sentence–

Simple Active–

Simple Condition–

Simple Passive–

Simple Predicate–

Simple Sentence–

Simple Subject–

Singular–

So |

Solecism– From Soloi, a city in ancient Cilicia where a substandard form of Attic was spoken. A solecism is any substandard form of grammar; grammatical mistakes. The book of Revelation has a great number of these. See Construction ad Sensum.

Stem–

Subject–

Subject Nominative–

Subjective Genitive– In this construction the word in the genitive case functions as the source, or subject , of the construction. The substantive it modifies is viewed as the object; e.g., h( ei)rh/nh tou= qeou= in Ph 4:7 is probably a subjective genitive, “the peace of (from) God.” Also, Ph 3:14. See Objective Genitive.

Subjective Mood–

Subjective of Emphatic Negation–

Subjunctive of Prohibition–

Subordinate Clause–

Subordinating Conjunction–

Substantival Adjective–

Substantival Infinitive–

Substantive– Denotes a word or phrase that functions as a noun within a sentence.

Sunstantive Clause–

Suffix–

Superlative Degree–

Syncopated– A word that has lost a sound or letter by contraction or by dropping away.

Syntax– From su/ntaciv. The orderly arrangement of words into sentences to express ideas. The study of syntax involves both the construction of single words and the way those words are used in meaningful constructions.

T |

Telic Participle–

Temporal– Having or relating to the element of time. See Temporal Clause.

Temporal Clause– A subcategory of the Relative Clause, the temporal clause introduces an aspect of time or concessive action into the sentence. The words o#te and o#tan, translated “when” or “whenever,” and a!ci, me/xri, and e!wv, translated “until” or “while,” usually introduce temporal clauses. Ph 2:8; 4:15.

Temporal Participle–

Tendential– Denotes action that has been attempted but not completed or action that has been interrupted.

Tendential Participle–

Tendential Present–

Tense–

Textus Receptus– The text of the Greek NT that is base on the editions of Erasmus’ Greek text. Although considerably flawed, it was accepted as the standard, or commonly received, text. It became the text of scholarly translation (including the KJV) and debate for about four centuries.

Third Declension–

Third Person–

Third-Class Condition–

Time–

Transitive (Verb)– This denotes a verb or verbal construction that has or contains a direct object. The verb denotes a transition from one substantive to another. Transitive can belong to any voice in Greek, not just the active. See Intransitive.

Transliteration– Representing the letters of a Greek word into English equivalents without an attempt at translation. For example, a!nqrwpov is transliterated into English as anthropos.

U |

V |

Verb–

Verb of Incomplete Predication–

Verbal Phrase–

Verbals–

Vocative (Case) –

Voice–

Volitive– Denotes an expression of a wish, command, or the use of the will. For instance a future may be a volitive future. In I Cor 14:15 proseu/comai and yalw=, “I will pray” and “I will sing” express more than just the future reality. They also express volitional emphasis.

Voluntative Optative–

W |

X |

Y |

Z |

Zeugma– Denotes two words put together that do not properly go together. In Rev 1:12, e)pe/streya ble/pein th\n fwnh\n “I turned to see the voice,” the zeugma is that one does not see a voice.