Quick Definition
νέφος, ους, τό n.n. a cloud, multitude, great company
Strong's Definition
apparently a primary word; a cloud
KJV Usage: cloud
UBS Dictionary of the Greek New Testament
noun, n. | -ους | νεφέλη
11.3 · Groups and Classes of Persons and Members of Such Groups and Classes · General
large crowd (a figurative extension of meaning of νέφος ‘cloud,’ not occurring in the NT) a large crowd of people In HEB 12:1 a possible supplementary component of ‘heavenly’ is applicable, since the reference is to the heroes of faith mentioned in chapter 11. In general one cannot preserve the figure of speech, nor even a term meaning ‘crowd,’ since the persons in chapter 11 did not form a crowd historically. A more common equivalent of ‘large crowd of witnesses’ is ‘many, many witnesses.’
UBS Dictionary of the Greek New Testament © United Bible Societies, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0.
Thayer's Greek Lexicon
νέφος, -ους, [allied with Lat. nubes, nebula, ete.], τό, Sept. for 3 and }3y, a cloud; in the N. T. once trop. a large, dense multitude, a throng: μαρτύρων, Heb. xii. 1, often so in prof. auth., as νέφ. Ἡρώων, πεζῶν, ψαρῶν, Koλοιῶν, Hom. Π. 4, 274; 16,66; 17, 755; 23,133; avOpaπων, Hdt. 8,109; στρουθῶν, Arstph. av. 578; ἀκρίδων, Diod. 3, 29; peditum equitumque nubes, Liv. 35, 49." [Syn. νέφος, νεφέλη: νέφος is general, νεφέλη specific; the former denotes the great, shapeless collection of vapor obscuring the heavens; the latter designates particular and definite masses of the same, suggesting form and limit. Cf. Schmidt vol. i. ch. 36.| vedpés, -οὔ, 6, a kidney (Plat., Arstph.); plur. the kidneys, the loins, as Sept. for nv 53 used of the inmost thoughts, feelings, purposes, of the soul: with the addition of καρδίας, Rev. ii. 23, with which ef. Ps. vii. 10; Jer. xi. 20; xvii. 10; Sap. i. 6.
Mounce Concise Greek Dictionary
νέφος nephos 1x
a cloud; trop. a cloud, a throng of persons, Heb. 12:1*
Abbott-Smith Greek Lexicon
νέφος, -ους, τό,
[in LXX for עָב, שַׁחַק, עָנָן;]
a mass of clouds, a cloud (cf. νεφέλη); metaph. (as in Hom., Hdt., al.), of a dense throng: He 12:1.†
Liddell-Scott-Jones — Greek-English Lexicon
νέφος (nephos) — cloud. νέφος, εος, τό, cloud, mass of clouds, [Refs 8th c.BC+]
2. metaphorically [Refs 8th c.BC+]; σκότου ν., of blindness, [Refs 5th c.BC+]; ν. οἰμωγῆς, στεναγμῶν, [Refs 5th c.BC+]; ὀφρύων ν. a cloud upon the brow, [Refs 4th c.BC+]
II. metaphorically, also, a cloud of men, etc., ν. πεζῶν, Τρώων, [Refs 8th c.BC+]; ψαρῶν, κολοιῶν,[Refs 5th c.BC+]; πενεστάων ν.[NT]; πολέμοιο ν. the cloud of battle, thick of the fight, [Refs 8th c.BC+]. (Cf. Sanskrit nábhas 'fog', 'cloud', Slavonic nebo 'heaven', Latin nebula.)