Quick Definition
ἐξαίφνης Adv suddenly, unexpectedly
Strong's Definition
from 1537 and the base of 160; of a sudden (unexpectedly)
KJV Usage: suddenly. Compare 1819
UBS Dictionary of the Greek New Testament
advb. | ἄφνω
67.113 · Time · Duration of Time without Reference to Points or Units of Time: Time, Spend Time, Always, Eternal, Old, Immediately, Young
suddenly, at once, immediately pertaining to an extremely short period of time between a previous state or event and a subsequent state or event In a number of contexts there is the implication of unexpectedness, but this seems to be a derivative of the context as a whole and not a part of the meaning of the lexical items.
UBS Dictionary of the Greek New Testament © United Bible Societies, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0.
Thayer's Greek Lexicon
ἐξαίφνης [WH ἐξέφνης (exc. in Acts xxii. 6), see their App. p. 151], adv., (αἴφνης, ἄφνω, ἄφνως suddenly), of a sudden, suddenly, unexpectedly: Mk. xiii. 36; Lk. li. 13; ix. 39; Actsix. 3; xxii.6. (Hom. et al.; Sept.)
Mounce Concise Greek Dictionary
ἐξαίφνης exaiphnēs 5x
suddenly, unexpectedly, Mk. 13:36; Lk. 2:13; 9:39; Acts 9:3; 22:6*
Abbott-Smith Greek Lexicon
ἐξ-αίφνης (WH, ἐξέφνης, exc. Ac 22:6; v. App., p. 151, and cf. M, Pr., 35), adv.
(< ἄφνω), [in LXX chiefly for פִתְאׄם ;]
suddenly Mk 13:36, Lk 2:13 9:39, Ac 9:3 22:6.†
Moulton & Milligan — Vocabulary of the Greek NT
ἐξαίφνης. For the form ἐξαίφνης, which is read by WH only in Ac 22° (cf. No/es,? p. 158), see P Par 518 (B.c. 160) (= Selections, p. 19) καὶ ἐξαίφνης) ἀνύγω τοὺς ὀφθαλμούς pov, and PSI III. 184° (a.p. 292) περὶ ἕκτην ὥραν ἐξαίφνης καύματος ἐνόντος πῦρ κτλ. The very fragmentary letter P Giss I. 86 (ii/A.D.) shows ὅτι ἐξέφνης ἀπέστιλας : so P Flor II. 1757 (A.D. 255). In Cagnat III. 11454 we have ἐξεφάνης On the ease with which at and € would be interchanged by the scribes, see Proleg. p. 35. MGr ἔξαφνα, ἄξαφνα, ξάφνω, with ξαφνίζω, ““ frighten,” “surprise.” 3 / € ξανίστημι
Liddell-Scott-Jones — Greek-English Lexicon
ἐξαίφνης (exaiphnēs) — suddenly. ἐξαίφν-ης, adverb on a sudden, [Refs 8th c.BC+]participle, ψυχὴν θεωρεῖν ἐ. ἀποθανόντος ἑκάστου the moment that he is dead, [Refs 5th c.BC+]; ἀκούσαντι ἐ. at first hearing, [Refs 4th c.BC+]; but τὸ ἐ. the instantaneous, that which is between motion and rest, and not in the time-series, [Refs 5th c.BC+]; but, ={τὸ ἐν ἀναισθήτῳ χρόνῳ διὰ μικρότητα ἐκστάν}, [Refs 4th c.BC+]