Quick Definition
κτῆνος, ους, τό n.n. a beast of burden
Strong's Definition
from 2932; property, i.e. (specially) a domestic animal
KJV Usage: beast
UBS Dictionary of the Greek New Testament
noun, n. | -ους | κτάομαι
4.6 · Animals · Animals
beast of burden, riding animal, cattle a larger type of domesticated animal, primarily one used for riding or carrying loads In 1CO 15:39 (ἄλλη δὲ σὰρξ κτηνῶν, ἄλλη δὲ σὰρξ πτηνῶν, ἄλλη δὲ ἰχθύων ‘another is the flesh of animals, another the flesh of birds, and another the flesh of fish’) one might argue that κτηνῶν is simply a highly generic expression for all kinds of animals, but in view of its meaning in so many other contexts, it probably applies even in 1CO 15:39 to large domesticated animals.
As in so many instances, the translator must render passages in terms of expressions which are appropriate to particular contexts. For example, in ACT 23:24 a translation such as ‘horses’ would be appropriate, while in LUK 10:34 the term ‘donkey’ would be fitting, and in REV 18:13 κτήνη (in which κτῆνος contrasts with πρόβατα ‘sheep’) would perhaps best be translated as ‘cattle.’
UBS Dictionary of the Greek New Testament © United Bible Societies, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0.
Thayer's Greek Lexicon
κτῆνος, -ous, τό, (fr. κτάομαι; hence prop. a possession, property, esp. in cattle); @ beast, esp. a beast of burden: Lk. x. 34; plur., Acts xxiii. 24; Rev. xviii. 13; it seems to be used for quadrupeds as opp. to fishes and birds in 1 Co. xv. 39; so for M73, Gen. i. 25 sq.; 11. 20. [CE Hom. hymn. 30, 10; of swine in Polyb. 12, 4, 14.]
Mounce Concise Greek Dictionary
κτῆνος ktēnos 4x
pr. property, generally used in the plural, τὰ κτήνη; property in animals; a beast of burden, domesticated animal, Lk. 10:34; Acts 23:24; beasts, cattle, 1 Cor. 15:39; Rev. 18:13*
Abbott-Smith Greek Lexicon
κτῆνος, -ους, τό
(< κτάομαι, hence primarily a possession), [in LXX chiefly for בְּהֵמָה, Ge 1:25, al., also for מִקְנֶה, צֹנֵא, etc.;]
a beast, (in late Gk. esp.) a beast of burden: Lk 10:34 pl. (as chiefly in cl.), Ac 23:24, Re 18:13; of quadrupeds, as opp. to fishes and birds (cf. Ge 1:25), I Co 15:39.†
Moulton & Milligan — Vocabulary of the Greek NT
κτῆνος, mostly in plur. “‘ flocks and herds,” is common, e.g. P Tebt I. 56% (late ii/B.c.) οὐκ ἔχομεν ἕως τῆς τροφῆς τῶν κτηνῶν ἡμῶν, ‘‘ we have not so much as food for our cattle”’ (Edd.), P Ryl 11. 126! (A.p. 28-9) τὰ ἑατοῦ πρόβατα καὶ βοικὰ κτήνη. For the more specialized sense ‘beast of burden,”’ (as in Lk 10%4, Ac 2374) cf. BGU III. 91274 (a.p. 33) τὰ ὀνικὰ κτήνη, P Fay 111° (A.D 95-6) (= Selections, Ρ- 66) ἐργατικὰ κτήνη δέκα, P Oxy XIV. 1756" (c. i/a.D.) ἐὰν τὰ κτήνη ἐξέρχηται ἐπὶ γράστιν (‘green fodder’) πέμψω σοι ἐλαίαν : cf. also Μ. Anton. ν. 11 where κτῆνος, “ἐᾷ domestic animal,” is contrasted with θηρίον, ‘a wild beast.” The adj. κτηνοτρόφος occurs several times in the Faytim papyri and ostraca, e.g. 18(4)? (i/B.c.): cf. LXX Numb 32* where it is applied to land.
Liddell-Scott-Jones — Greek-English Lexicon
κτῆνος (ktēnos) — animal. κτῆνος, εος, τό, (κτάομαι) mostly in plural κτήνεα, contraction κτήνη, flocks and herds, [Refs 5th c.BC+]; κ. τὰ δημιοπληθῆ [Refs 4th c.BC+]; of beasts in general, [Refs 1st c.AD+]; opposed to ἄνθρωποι, [Refs 3rd c.AD+]; of swine, [Refs 2nd c.BC+]
2. in singular, a single beast, as an ox or sheep, [Refs 5th c.BC+]; horse or mule for riding, [NT]; of a domestic animal, opposed to θηρίον, [Refs 2nd c.AD+]