Quick Definition
μαλακός, ή, όν Adj soft, effeminate
Strong's Definition
soft, i.e. fine (clothing); figuratively, a catamite
Derivation: of uncertain affinity;
KJV Usage: effeminate, soft
UBS Dictionary of the Greek New Testament
adjc. | -ή, -όν | μαλακία
79.100 · Features of Objects · Soft, Tender
soft, delicate, luxurious pertaining to being soft to the touch
88.281 · Moral and Ethical Qualities and Related Behavior · Sexual Misbehavior
homosexual the passive male partner in homosexual intercourse For a context of μαλακός[b], see 1CO 6:9 in 88.280. As in Greek, a number of other languages also have entirely distinct terms for the active and passive roles in homosexual intercourse.
UBS Dictionary of the Greek New Testament © United Bible Societies, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0.
Thayer's Greek Lexicon
μαλακός, -7, -dv, soft: soft to the touch: ἱμάτια, Mt. xi. 8 RGLbr.; Lk. vii. 25, (ἱματίων πολυτελῶν κ- μαλακῶν, Artem. oneir. 1,78; ἐσθής, Hom. Od. 23, 290; Artem. oneir. 2,3; χιτών, Hom. 1]. 2,42); and simply τὰ μαλακά, soft raiment (see λευκός, 1): Mt. xi. 8 TTrWH. Like the Lat. mollis, metaph. and in a bad sense: effeminate, of a catamite, a male who submits his body to unnatural lewdness, 1 Co. vi. 9 (Dion. Hal. antt. 7, 2 sub fin.; [Diog. Laért. 7, 173 fin.]).
Mounce Concise Greek Dictionary
μαλακός malakos 4x
soft; soft to the touch, delicate, Mt. 11:8; Lk. 7:25; met. an instrument of unnatural lust, effeminate, 1 Cor. 6:9*
Abbott-Smith Greek Lexicon
μαλακός, -ή, -όν,
[in LXX: Pr 25:15 (רַךְ) Pr 26:22 (כְּמִתְלַהֲמִים)*;]
soft; prop., to the touch (opp. to σκληρός): of clothing, pl., Mt 11:8, Lk 7:25.
Of persons and their mode of living; mild, gentle;
soft, effeminate: I Co 6:9 (prob. in obscene sense, cf. Deiss., LAE, 1504; MM, xvi; Zorell, s.v.).†
Moulton & Milligan — Vocabulary of the Greek NT
μαλακός. In P Hib I. 5411 (c. B.c. 245) (= Chrest. I. p. 563) a certain musician Zenobius is described as 6 μαλακός, probably in the same sense in which the word is found in I Cor 6°, rather than simply with reference to his style of dancing (as GH and Smyly who compares Plaut. 7221. 668 : Tum ad saltandum non cinaedus malacus aequest atque ego). In a Macedonian inscr. (Duchesne and Bayet p. 46, No. 66) the words ὃ μαλακός have been added in a different style of writing, after the name of the person commemorated, evidently in satirical allusion to his corrupt mode of life. For the adj. = “‘soft,” as in Mt 118, cf. Sy// 538 (= %970)8 (B.C, 289-8) τιθέναι τοὺς λίθους τῆς μαλακῆς πέτρας, and Kaibel 649" ἄνθεσιν ἐν μαλακοῖσι. The epithet is applied to wine in PSI VI. 594” (iii/B.c.). The form persists in MGr.
Liddell-Scott-Jones — Greek-English Lexicon
μαλακός (malakos) — soft/effeminate. μᾰλᾰκός, ή, όν, soft:
I. of things subject to touch, εὐνή [Refs 8th c.BC+]; πέπλοι [Refs 8th c.BC+]; νειὸς μ. fresh-ploughed fallow, [Refs]; λειμῶνες μ. soft grassy meadows, [Refs 8th c.BC+]; of the skin or flesh, μ. παρειαί [Refs 5th c.BC+]; πρόβατα μ. soft-fleeced, [Refs 4th c.BC+]; τόποι πεδινοὶ καὶ μ., opposed to hard, rugged ground, [Refs 4th c.BC+]; οἱ κρημνοὶ οἱ μ.[Refs 3rd c.BC+]; μ. τέφρα a slow fire, [Refs 3rd c.BC+]; ὕδωρ μ., of marsh water, [Refs 5th c.BC+]; of soil, [Refs 5th c.BC+] adverb, μαλακῶς ἐνεύδειν, εὑδέμεναι, to sleep softly, i.e. on soft bedding, [Refs 8th c.BC+]; καθίζου μ. sit softly, i.e. on a cushion, [Refs 5th c.BC+]; but ὡς μ. ἐσθίεις what dainty food you have! [Refs 4th c.BC+]
I.2. μαλακά (i.e. σκεύη), τά, household utensils, [Refs 4th c.BC+]
II. of things not subject to touch, gentle, θάνατος [Refs 8th c.BC+]; μ. ἔπεα soft, fair words, [Refs 8th c.BC+]; μ. βλέμμα tender, youthful looks, [Refs 5th c.BC+]; μ. οἶνος mild, [Refs 4th c.BC+]; μ. [φωνή] soft, [Refs]; of scent, faint, delicate, [Refs 4th c.BC+]; of climate, mild, [Refs] adverb μαλακῶς, αὐλεῖν [Refs 4th c.BC+]
II.2. light, mild, - ώτεραι ζημίαι [Refs 5th c.BC+]
III. of persons or modes of life, soft, mild, gentle, μαλακώτερος ἀμφαφάασθαι easier to handle, of a fallen hero, [Refs 8th c.BC+]
III.2. in bad sense, soft, μ. ἐν τῇ ξυναγωγῇ τοῦ πολέμου [Refs 5th c.BC+]. adverb - κῶς, ξυμμαχεῖν [Refs 5th c.BC+]; -ωτέρως ἀνθήπτετο attacked him somewhat feebly, [Refs 5th c.BC+]
III.2. b faint-hearted, cowardly, [Refs 5th c.BC+]
III.2. c morally weak, lacking in self-control, [Refs 5th c.BC+]; ἀντίκειται τῷ μ. ὁ καρτερικός [Refs 4th c.BC+]: with infinitive, μαλακὸς καρτερεῖν πρὸς ἡδονάς τε καὶ λύπας [Refs 5th c.BC+]; μ. οὐδὲν ἐνδιδόναι not to give in from weakness or want of spirit, [Refs 5th c.BC+]; τὰ μ. indulgences, [Refs 5th c.BC+]
III.2. d ={παθητικός}, [NT+3rd c.BC+]
III.2. e of music, soft, effeminate, μ. ἁρμονίαι [Refs 5th c.BC+]; tuned to a low pitch, opposed to σύντονος, χρῶμα μ. [Refs 2nd c.AD+]
III.2. f of style, feeble, τὸ -ώτερον καὶ ταπεινότερον [Refs 5th c.BC+]
III.2. g of reasoning, weak, loose, λόγος [Refs 5th c.BC+]; λόγος λίαν μ. [Refs 4th c.BC+] adverb -κῶς, συλλογίζεσθαι to reason loosely, [Refs]; ἀποδεικνύειν -ώτερον [Refs]
III.3. weakly, sickly, -κῶς ἔχειν to be ill, [Refs 5th c.BC+]
IV. adverb -κῶς, see supr. I, II, III.