Quick Definition
ἀναζάω v. I come to life again, revive
Strong's Definition
to recover life (literally or figuratively)
Derivation: from G303 (ἀνά) and G2198 (ζάω);
KJV Usage: (be a-)live again, revive
UBS Dictionary of the Greek New Testament
verb | ζάω
23.93 · Physiological Processes and States · Live, Die
to come back to life, to live again, to be resurrected, resurrection to come back to life after having once died This word is also found as a variant reading: Χριστὸς καὶ ἀπέθανεν καὶ ἀνέστη καὶ ἀνέζησεν ‘Christ also died, rose, and lives again’ ROM 14:9 (apparatus).
In a number of languages there is a difficulty involved in formulating some expression for ‘resurrection’ or ‘living again,’ since such a phrase may refer to what is technically known as metempsychosis, that is to say, the rebirth of the soul in another existence, a belief which is widely held in a number of areas of south Asia. This problem may be avoided in some languages by speaking of ‘his body will live again’ or ‘his body will come back to life’ or ‘he will be the same person when he lives again.’
In LUK 15:24, ὅτι οὗτος ὁ υἱός μου νεκρὸς ἦν καὶ ἀνέζησεν ‘because this son of mine was dead and he has come back to life,’ the figurative hyperbole may reflect the practice of referring to a person as dead and then coming back to life if he has been completely separated for a time from all family relations, but then has later been discovered alive and well. It is possible, of course, that in LUK 15:24 the expression is an idiom, but it is more likely to be simply a figurative usage.
1 It is possible that the prefix ἀνα in ἀναζάω[b] could mean to come to life again, but in this particular context the force of repeated action seems to have been lost.
UBS Dictionary of the Greek New Testament © United Bible Societies, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0.
Thayer's Greek Lexicon
ἀνα-ζάω, -ῶ: 1 aor. ἀνέζησα; a word found only in the N. T. and 660]. writ.; to live again, recover life; a prop., in Rec. of Ro. xiv. 9; Rev. xx. 5. b. trop. one is said ἀναζῆν who has been νεκρός in a trop. sense ; a. to be restored to a correct life: of one who returns to a better moral state, Lk. xv. 24 [WH mrg. ἔζησεν] ([A. V. is alive again], cf. Mey. ad loc.), 32 (I Tr WH ἔζησε). B. to revive, regain strength and vigor: Ro. vii. 9; sin is alive, indeed, and vigorous among men ever since the fall of Adam; yet it is destitute of power (νεκρά ἐστι) in innocent children ignorant of the law; but when they come to a knowledge of the law, sin recovers its power in them also. Others less aptly explain ἀνέζησε here began to live, sprang into life, (Germ. lebte auf ).
Mounce Concise Greek Dictionary
ἀναζάω anazaō 3x
to live again, recover life, revive, Rom. 7:9; met. to live a new and reformed life, Lk. 15:24, 32*
Abbott-Smith Greek Lexicon
**† ἀνα-ζάω, -ῶ,
[in Al.: Ge 45:27*;]
to live again, regain life (cf. cl. ἀναβιόω; Cremer, 722; and for other exx., v MM, VGT, s.v.): metaph. of moral revival, Lk 15:24 (WH, mg., ἔζησεν); of sin, Ro 7:9.†
Moulton & Milligan — Vocabulary of the Greek NT
Liddell-Scott-Jones — Greek-English Lexicon
ἀναζάω (anazaō) — to revive. ἀναζάω, infinitive -ζῆν, return to life, be alive again, [NT]: in Epic dialect form ἀναερτ-ζώω [Refs 2nd c.BC+]