Quick Definition
ἐλάσσων, ον Adj less, smaller, inferior
Strong's Definition
comparative of the same as 1646; smaller (in size, quantity, age or quality)
KJV Usage: less, under, worse, younger
UBS Dictionary of the Greek New Testament
adjc. | -ον | ἐλαττόω
59.3 · Quantity · Many, Few [Countables]
few, less a relatively small quantity on any dimension
87.67 · Status · Low Status or Rank [including persons of low status]
lesser pertaining to being of less status than something else
67.116 · Time · Duration of Time without Reference to Points or Units of Time: Time, Spend Time, Always, Eternal, Old, Immediately, Young
young, younger pertaining to a living being who is relatively young, often the younger of two objects
UBS Dictionary of the Greek New Testament © United Bible Societies, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0.
Thayer's Greek Lexicon
ἐλάσσων [in Jn., Ro.] or -rrwy [in Heb., 1 Tim.; ef. B. 7], τον, (compar. of the Epic adj. ἐλαχύς equiv. to μικρός), [fr. Hom. down], less, —either in age (younger), Ro. ix. 12; or in rank, Heb. vii. 7; or in excellence, worse (opp. to καλός), Jn. ii. 10. Neuter ἔλαττον, adverbially, less [se. than ete., A. V. under; cf. W. 239 (225); 595 sq. (654); B. 127 sq. (112)]: 1 Tim. v. 9-
Mounce Concise Greek Dictionary
ἐλάσσων elassōn 4x
ἐλάττων (G1784) is the Attic form of this word. Twice it is used with σσ (Jn. 2:10; Rom. 9:12) and twice with ττ (1 Tim. 5:9; Heb. 7:7). It is used as the comparative of μικρός, less; less in age, younger, Rom. 9:12; less in dignity, inferior, Heb. 7:7; less in quality, inferior, worse, Jn. 2:10; 1 Tim. 5:9*
Abbott-Smith Greek Lexicon
ἐλάσσων (-ττων, He 7:7, WH, 1 Ti 5:9), -ον
(formed, with superl. ἐλάχιστος, from the epic ἐλαχύς, little, and serving as compar. of μικρός), [in LXX for מָעַט, etc. ;]
less, in age, rank or quality: Jo 2:19, Ro 9:12 (LXX), He 7:7; neut., -ον, adverbially: I Ti 5:9.†
Moulton & Milligan — Vocabulary of the Greek NT
ἐλάσσων. In P Petr III. 32(/)!° a complaint is brought against a tax-collector that he makes agreements ‘‘ at too low a rate ’’ with certain persons who are liable to the police tax—éet ἐλάττ[ονο]ς συνχωρήσεις ποιεῖται: cf. P Par 6378 (B.c. 165) (=P Petr III. Ρ. 20) ἕκαστον αὐτῶν γεω[ργ]ήσειν ἐπὶ τὸ ἔλασσον, ‘‘that each man is personally liable for field labour on the smaller assessment ’’ (Mahaffy), 26.120 (= zd. p- 28) τοῖς δυναμένοις οὐκ ἔλασσον τούτου μεριστέον, ‘not less than this (assessment) is to be allotted to those who are capable” (zd@.), and P Oxy II. 237¥ii- 0 (4... 186) ἐπ᾿ ἐλλάτTovt συμβήσεσθαι, “to accept less than the full amount’’ (Edd.). So P Giss I. 6118 (a.p. 119) ἀξιοῦμεν]... τὴν ἐξέτασιν ποιήσασθαι πρὸς Td μηδὲν ἔλασσον τῶι φίσ[κωι] ἐπακολουθῆσαι, with which the editor contrasts P Oxy II. 2798 (A.D. 44-5) πλεῖον περιποιῆσαι τοῖς δη[μοσ]ίοις. For a direct antithesis with πλείων, see PSI III. 187° (iv/a.p.) μισθώσασθαι]... . [ἀρ]ούρας δέκα ἢ ὅσας ἐὰν ὦσι] ἐπὶ τὸ πλεῖον ἢ ἔϊλασσον, and for a similar antithesis with μείζων see P Ryl II. 77% (A.p. 192) ᾽Ο. εἶπί(εν)" ἀναδεξάμένος τὴν μείζονα ἀρχὴν οὐκ ὀφείλει τὴν ἐλάττον᾽ ἀποφεύγειν, ““Ο. said:—‘A person who has offered to undertake the greater office ought not to shun the lesser’ ” (Edd.). For the corresponding subst. cf. e.g. P Tebt I. 971 (B.c. 118) where an account of payments in kind is headed— list of payments εἰς τὴν μί[σ(θωσιν) τοῦ] αὐτ[οῦ] (ἔτους) εἰς τὸ ἐλάσσωμα, “on account of leases of the said year to meet the deficiency,” and BGU IV. 1060%* (time of Augustus) ἀξιοῦμεν ἐν μηδενὶ ἐλαττώματι ἡμᾶς πρόνοιαν γενέσθαι. On the interchange of -σσ- and -ττ- see Mayser Gr. p. 223, and Moulton G». ii. ὃ 43.
Liddell-Scott-Jones — Greek-English Lexicon
ἐλάσσων (elassōn) — lesser. ἐλάσσ-ων, Attic dialect ἐλάττων, ον, genitive ονος: superlative ἐλάχιστος (which see): — smaller, less, formed from ἐλαχύς (which see), but serving as comparative to μικρός, δουρηνεκὲς ἢ καὶ ἔλασσον [Refs 8th c.BC+]; τοὔλασσον ἔχειν to have the worse, be worse off, πάντῃ [Refs 6th c.BC+]; ἐλάττω νομίσας τὴν ἀρχὴν ἢ κατὰ τὴν αὑτοῦ φύσιν εἶναι too small for.., [Refs 5th c.BC+]: absolutely, too small, [Refs 4th c.BC+]; below the average in height, [Refs]
2. with genitive person, worse than, inferior to, [Refs 5th c.BC+]: but with genitive of things, giving way to, subservient to, σιτίων [Refs 5th c.BC+]: absolutely, worse, inferior, τόποι [Refs]
3. neuter with Preps., περὶ ἐλάσσονος ποιεῖσθαι to consider of less account, [Refs 5th c.BC+]; ἐπ᾽ ἔλαττον (i.e. ἁρμοσθῆναι) [Refs]; δι᾽ ἐλάσσονος at less distance, [Refs 5th c.BC+]
II. of Number, fewer, οἱ ἐλάσσονες the minority, [Refs 5th c.BC+]
III. of Time, shorter, [Refs 5th c.BC+]
IV. of worth or rank, οἱ ἐ. the meaner sort, [Refs 5th c.BC+]
V. neuter ἔλασσον, as adverb, ἔ. ἢ μηδέν [Refs 5th c.BC+]; ἔ. ἄπωθεν less far off, [Refs 5th c.BC+]; πλείω ἔλαττον, with numbers, more or less, [Refs 4th c.AD+] adverb,= ἐλαττονάκις[Refs 5th c.BC+] adverb ἐλασσόνως (which see).
VI. with indeclinable Numerals, the ἤ of Comparison is often omitted, οὐκ ἐλάττους ὀγδοήκοντα [Refs 1st c.BC+]; especially in adverb ἔλασσον, as μὴ ἔ. δέκα ἔτη [Refs 5th c.BC+]