Quick Definition
a sting, goad
Strong's Definition
a point ("centre"), i.e. a sting (figuratively, poison) or goad (figuratively, divine impulse)
Derivation: from (to prick);
KJV Usage: prick, sting
Thayer's Greek Lexicon
κέντρον, κέντρου, τό (κεντέω to prick);
1. a sting, as that of bees (4Ma_14:19), scorpions, locusts, Rev_9:10. Since animals wound by their sting and even cause death, Paul in 1Co_15:55 (after Hos_13:14, the Sept.) attributes to death, personified, a κέντρον, i. e. a deadly weapon, and that κέντρον is said to be ἡ ἁμαρτία (56), because sin is death's cause and punishment (?) (Rom_5:12).
2. as in the Greek writings an iron goad, for urging on oxen, horses and other beasts of burden; hence, the proverb πρός κέντρα λακτίζειν, to kick against the goad, i. e. to offer vain and perilous or ruinous resistance: Act_9:5 Rec.; ; cf. Pindar Pythagoras 2, 173; Aeschylus (Ag. 1624, cf.) Prom. 323; Euripides, Bacch. 795; Terent. Phorm. 1, 2, 28; Ammian. 18, 5.
Mounce Concise Greek Dictionary
κέντρον kentron 4x
a sharp point; a sting of an animal, Rev_9:10 ;
a prick, stimulus, goad, Act_26:14 ;
met. of death, destructive power, deadly venom, 1Co_15:55-56
Abbott-Smith Greek Lexicon
κέντρον , -ου , τό
( < εκντέω , to prick),
[in LXX : Pro_26:3 ( H4964 ), Hos_13:14 ( H6987 ), Hos_5:12 , Sir_38:25 , 4Ma_14:19 * ;]
1. a sting (4Mac, l.c .): Rev_9:10 . Metaph . (as Hos_13:14 ): τ . θανάτου , 1Co_15:55 ( LXX ), 1Co_15:56 ,
2. a goad: pl ., Act_26:14 .†
Moulton & Milligan — Vocabulary of the Greek NT
κέντρον [page 340]
κέντρον is used metaphorically = desire in a sepulchral inscr. from Byzantium of iii/iv A.D. Kaibel 534 .9
σῆς γλυκερῆς ψυχῆς κέντρον ἄπαυστον ἔχων .
Liddell-Scott — Intermediate Greek Lexicon
κέντρον κέντρον, ου, τό, [Etym: κεντέω] "any sharp point": "a horsegoad", Lat. stimulus, Il. , etc.: also "an ox-goad", Plat. ; —proverb., πρὸς κέντρα λακτίζειν, v. λακτίζω 2. metaph. "a goad, spur, incentive", Aesch. , Eur. "an instrument of torture", Hdt. :—metaph. in pl. "tortures, pangs", Soph. "the sting" of bees and wasps, Ar. ; of a scorpion, Dem. ; metaph. of the impression produced by Socrates, ὥσπερ μέλιττα τὸ κ. ἐγκαταλιπών Plat. "the stationary point of a pair of compasses, the centre" of a circle, id=Plat.
STEPBible — Tyndale Abridged Greek Lexicon
κέντρον, -ου, τό
(εκντέω, to prick), [in LXX: Pro.26:3 (מֶתֶג), Hos.13:14 (קֹטֶב), Hos.5:12, Sir.38:25, 4Ma.14:19 * ;]
__1. a sting (4Mac, l.with): Rev.9:10. Metaphorical (as Hos.13:14): τ. θανάτου, 1Co.15:55 (LXX), 1Co.15:56,
__2. a goad: pl., Act.26:14.†
(AS)