Quick Definition
καταπέτασμα, ατος, τό n.n. a veil, curtain
Strong's Definition
from a compound of 2596 and a congener of 4072; something spread thoroughly, i.e. (specially) the door screen (to the Most Holy Place) in the Jewish Temple
KJV Usage: vail
UBS Dictionary of the Greek New Testament
noun, n. | -τος | πέτομαι
6.160 · Artifacts · Cloth, Leather, and Objects Made of Such Materials
drape, curtain, veil a hanging of cloth over an opening The καταπέτασμα of the Temple has been traditionally called in English a ‘veil,’ but a literal correspondence of ‘veil’ would be misleading, since it would suggest something which merely covers the face. At the same time a typical correspondence of ‘curtain’ could be misleading, since it would suggest something which covers a window. In some languages the most appropriate equivalent for καταπέτασμα in the context of MAT 27:51 is ‘drape,’ but frequently it is necessary to use some kind of descriptive equivalent, for example, ‘a large piece of cloth hanging down from the ceiling’ or ‘a large piece of cloth covering the entrance.’
MAT 27:51 · MRK 15:38 · LUK 23:45 · HEB 6:19 · HEB 9:3 · HEB 10:20
UBS Dictionary of the Greek New Testament © United Bible Societies, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0.
Thayer's Greek Lexicon
κατα-πέτασμα, -ros, τό, (καταπετάννυμι to spread out over, to cover), an Alex. Grk. word for παραπέτασμα, which the other Greeks use fr. Hdt. down; a veil spread out, a curtain, —the name given in the Grk. Scriptures, as well as in the writings of Philo and Josephus, to the two curtains in the temple at Jerusalem (τὰ καταπετάσματα, 1 Mace. iv. 51; [yet ef. Edersheim, Jesus the Messiah, ii. 6117}: one of them (Hebr. 352) at the entrance of the temple separated the Holy place from the outer court (Ex. xxvi. 37; xxxviii. 18; Num. iii. 26; Joseph. b. 1. 5, 5, 4; it is called also τὸ κάλυμμα by the Sept. and Philo, Ex. xxvii. 16; Num. iii. 25; Philo, vit. oys. iii. §§ 5 and 9), the other veiled the Holy of holies «tom the Holy place (in Hebr. the N35; ἐνδότερον κα) .) κατάρα
Mounce Concise Greek Dictionary
καταπέτασμα katapetasma 6x
a veil, curtain, Mt. 27:51; Mk. 15:38; Lk. 23:45; Heb. 6:19; 9:3; 10:20*
Abbott-Smith Greek Lexicon
† κατα-πέτασμα, -τος, τό
(= cl. παραπέτασμα), [in LXX chiefly for פָּרֹכֶת (the veil of the Holy of Holies), Ex 26:31, Le 21:23, al.; also for מָסָךְ (the outer veil), Ex 35:12, Nu 3:26, al. (elsewhere κάλυμμα);]
in NT always the inner veil or curtain of the Temple (or Tabernacle): Mt 27:51, Mk 15:38, Lk 23:45, He 6:19 9:3; fig., ἡ σὰρξ αὐτοῦ, He 10:20.†
Moulton & Milligan — Vocabulary of the Greek NT
καταπέτασμα can no longer be regarded as a wholly ‘‘ Biblical,’’ or even ‘* Alexandrian ” (Grimm-Thayer) word, if only in view of an inscr. from Samos of B.C. 346-5, cataloguing the furniture of the temple of Hera (cited by Deissmann 7.4.8 p. 101 from Hoffmann Die Griechischen Dialekte 111. p. 72) kataπέτασμα τῆς τραπέζης, ““ table-cover.
Liddell-Scott-Jones — Greek-English Lexicon
καταπέτασμα (katapetasma) — curtain. καταπέτασμα, ατος, τό, curtain, veil, [Refs 3rd c.AD+]; especially the veil of the Temple, [LXX+NT], etc.; properly the inner veil, the outer being τὸ κάλυμμα, compare [Refs 1st c.AD+].
2. κ. τραπέζης table-cover, [Refs 4th c.BC+]