Quick Definition
ἐπισιτισμός, οῦ, ὁ n.m. provision, nourishment, food
Strong's Definition
from a compound of 1909 and a derivative of 4621; a provisioning, i.e. (concretely) food
KJV Usage: victuals
UBS Dictionary of the Greek New Testament
noun, m. | -οῦ | σῖτος
5.1 · Foods and Condiments · Food
food any kind of food or nourishment Almost all languages have at least a few general terms for food, though these may be derived from verbal expressions meaning essentially ‘that which is eaten.’ In some instances a distinction may be made between ‘that which is chewed’ and ‘that which is drunk,’ and it may therefore be important in certain contexts to speak of food in general by a phrase meaning ‘that which is either chewed or drunk.’ If one fails to include both types of food, the reader might interpret a passage such as MAT 6:11 as requesting only solid foods.
In the place of a general term or phrase such as ‘that which is eaten’ or ‘that which is consumed,’ some languages generalize the meaning of a particular term. For example, in certain parts of the Orient the term meaning specifically ‘rice’ also refers to ‘food’ in general. In fact, some persons will declare, ‘I have not eaten!’ if they have not had rice as part of a meal. A similar type of meaning has developed in English with respect to ‘bread.’ For example, in rendering LUK 4:4 (οὐκ ἐπ’ ἄρτῳ μόνῳ ζήσεται ὁ ἄνθρωπος ‘man shall not live by bread alone’) it would be wrong to employ a strictly literal rendering, since this might mean simply that people should not live on a diet consisting solely of bread. The meaning of LUK 4:4 is, of course, ‘to live means more than merely eating.’
1 There are no doubt certain subtle differences of meaning in the various terms listed here as meaning food, but it is impossible to determine such distinctions in meaning from NT contexts. Perhaps τροφή and διατροφή are somewhat more generic in meaning and may suggest a greater emphasis upon nourishment. At the same time, βρῶσις[c] and βρῶμα[a] may imply solid substantive food, but it is difficult, if not impossible, to argue for such subtle connotative distinctions in meanings which are essentially generic.
UBS Dictionary of the Greek New Testament © United Bible Societies, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0.
Thayer's Greek Lexicon
ἐπισιτισμός, -οὔ, 6, (ἐπισιτίζομαι to provision one’s self) ; 1. a foraging, providing food, (Xen., Plut., al.). 2. supplies, provisions, food [A. V. victuals]: Lk. ix. 12 (Sept., Xen., Dem., Hdian., al.).
Mounce Concise Greek Dictionary
ἐπισιτισμός episitismos 1x
supply of food, provisions, Lk. 9:12*
Abbott-Smith Greek Lexicon
ἐπισιτισμός, -οῦ, ὁ
(< ἐπισιτίζομαι, to supply with provisions), [in LXX: Ge 42:25, al. (צֵדָה), Jth 2:18 4:5 ;]
a foraging.
provisions, food: Lk 9:12.†
Moulton & Milligan — Vocabulary of the Greek NT
ἐπισιτισμός. OGIS 20015 (iv/a.D.) θρέψαντες αὐτοὺς βόεσίν τε καὶ ἐπισιτ[ισ]μῷ ἀννών(η5).
Liddell-Scott-Jones — Greek-English Lexicon
ἐπισιτισμός (episitismos) — food. ἐπισῑτ-ισμός, ὁ, furnishing oneself with provisions, foraging, [Refs 5th c.BC+]
2. stock or store of provisions,[NT+4th c.BC+]; ἔχοντες ἐπισιτις μὸν ἡμερῶν μ Philipp. cited in [Refs 4th c.BC+]