Quick Definition
I wail, lament
Strong's Definition
to bewail
Derivation: from G2355 (θρῆνος);
KJV Usage: lament, mourn
Thayer's Greek Lexicon
θρηνέω, θρήνῳ: imperfect ἐθρήνουν; future θρηνήσω; 1 aorist ἐθρήνησα; (θρῆνος, which see); from Homer down; the Sept. for δΕιμΔιμ, χεπΕο, etc.;
1. to lament, to mourn: Joh_16:20; of the singers of dirges (to wail), Mat_11:17; Luk_7:32.
2. to bewail, deplore: τινα, Luk_23:27. (On θρηνέω to lament, λόπτομαι to smite the breast in grief, λυπέομαι to be pained, saddened, πενθέω to mourn, cf. Trench, § 65, and see κλαίω at the end; yet note that in classic Greek λύπεσθαι is the most comprehensive word, designating every species of pain of body or soul; and that πενθέω expresses a self-contained grief, never violent in its manifestations; like our English word mourn it is associated by usage with the death of kindred, and like it used pregnantly to suggest that event. See Schmidt, vol. ii., chapter 83.)
Mounce Concise Greek Dictionary
θρηνέω thrēneō 4x
to lament, bewail, Mat_11:17 ; Luk_7:32 ; Luk_23:27 ; Joh_16:20
Abbott-Smith Greek Lexicon
θρηνέω , -ῶ
( < θρῆνος ),
[in LXX chiefly for H3213 hi ., also for H7014 pit ., etc.;]
1. intrans ., to lament, wail: Mat_11:17 , Luk_7:32 , Joh_16:20 .
2. Trans ., to bewail: c . acc pers ., Luk_23:27 .†
SYN.: κλαίω G2799 , κόπτομαι G2875 , λυπέομαι G3076 , πενθέω G3996 ( v. Tr., Syn. , lxv).
Moulton & Milligan — Vocabulary of the Greek NT
θρηνέω [page 292]
A new reference for this verb occurs in the much mutilated classical fragment, P Peti I. 9 .6 : cf. Arehiv iii. p. 165. For the subst. θρηνητής see BGU I. 34 recto iv. 4 εἰς πεῖν τοῖς παιδίοις ᾱ , θρηνητῇ ᾱ , where the numerals probably refer to jars of wine : and cf. the use of θρήνωμα (= θρήνημα ) in P Tebt I. 140 (B.C. 72) θρηνώματα εἰς τὸν Ὀσῖριν β̄ . MGr θρῆνος , a dirge.
Liddell-Scott — Intermediate Greek Lexicon
θρηνέω [Etym: θρῆνος] "to sing a dirge, to wail", Od. , Aesch. :—c. acc. cogn., ἀοιδὴν ἐθρήνεον "were singing" a dirge, Il. ; ὠιδάς, ἐπωιδάς θρ. Soph. :—Pass., ἅλις μοι τεθρήνηται, impers., id=Il. c. acc. objecti, "to wail for, lament", Aesch. , etc.; so also Mid., id=Aesch. :—Pass. "to be lamented", Soph.
STEPBible — Tyndale Abridged Greek Lexicon
θρηνέω, -ῶ
(θρῆνος), [in LXX chiefly for יָלַל hi., also for קַיִן pit., etc. ;]
__1. intrans., to lament, wail: Mat.11:17, Luk.7:32, Jhn.16:20.
__2. Trans., to bewail: with accusative of person(s), Luk.23:27.†
SYN.: κλαίω, κόπτομαι, λυπέομαι, πενθέω (see Tr., Syn., lxv). (AS)