Quick Definition
οἰκουμένη, ης, ἡ n.f. the inhabited (Roman) world
Strong's Definition
feminine participle present passive of 3611 (as noun, by implication, of 1093); land, i.e. the (terrene part of the) globe; specially, the Roman empire
KJV Usage: earth, world
UBS Dictionary of the Greek New Testament
noun, f. | -ης | οἰκέω
1.39 · Geographical Objects and Features · The Earth's Surface
earth, world the surface of the earth as the dwelling place of mankind, in contrast with the heavens above and the world below In HEB 2:5 there is a reference to τὴν οἰκουμένην τὴν μέλλουσαν ‘the world to come, the future world.’ This has generally been interpreted as being equivalent to ‘the coming age,’ but the use of οἰκουμένη would seem to imply an inhabited world.
MAT 24:14 · LUK 4:5 · LUK 21:26 · ACT 11:28 · ROM 10:18 · HEB 1:6 · HEB 2:5 · REV 3:10 · REV 12:9 · REV 16:14
1.83 · Geographical Objects and Features · Governmental Administrative Areas
empire, people of the empire the Roman Empire, including its inhabitants (οἰκουμένη[b] differs from οἰκουμένη[a] ‘earth,’ 1.39, in that those outside of the Roman Empire are specifically excluded, that is to say, no census was to be taken of the barbarians, but only of the inhabitants of the Empire) In order to represent accurately the meaning of οἰκουμένη[b] in LUK 2:1 it may be possible to translate ‘Emperor Augustus sent out an order that all the people over whom he ruled should register themselves for the census.’
1 The occurrences of γῆ[a], οἰκουμένη[a], and κόσμος[b] relate specifically to the known inhabited areas of the earth, which in the NT period included the countries bordering on the Mediterranean, the Fertile Crescent as far as the Indus Valley, and as far north in Europe as England and Scandinavia. This was the total known earth or world. Such a restriction to a known area of the earth is also true of terms used in some receptor languages, though the referents are obviously different. What is important is not the particular area of the earth, but the corresponding concept of the surface of the earth as the place of human habitation. It is possible that οἰκουμένη[a] differs slightly in meaning from γῆ[a] and κόσμος[b] in view of a somewhat greater emphasis or focus upon the civilized part of earth. 2 LUK 2:1 In LUK 2:1 οἰκουμένη[b] refers specifically to the inhabitants of the empire, though the meaning of οἰκουμένη[b] is simply the Roman Empire as a region, a governmental entity, and a population.
UBS Dictionary of the Greek New Testament © United Bible Societies, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0.
Thayer's Greek Lexicon
οἰκουμένη, -ης, 7, (fem. of the pres. pass. ptep. fr. οἰκέω, [se. yn; cf. W. § 64,5; B. § 123, 87); 1. the inhabited earth; a. in Grk. writ. often the portion of the earth inhabited by the Greeks, in distinction trom the lands of the barbarians, cf. Passow ii. p. 415"; [L. and S.s. v. 1: b. in the Grk. auth. who wrote about Roman affairs, (like the Lat. orbis terrarum) i. q. the Roman empire: so πᾶσα ἡ oix. contextually i. q. all the subjects of this empire, Lk. ii. 1. Ο. the whole inhabited earth, the world, (so in [Hyperid. Eux. 42 (“probably ” L. and S.)] Sept. for San and YS): UK. iv. 5; xxi. 26; Acts xxiv. 5; Ro. χ. 18; Rev. xvi. 14; Heb.i. 6, (πᾶσα ἡ oi. Joseph. b. 1. 7, 3, 3); ὅλη ἡ οἰκ., Mt. xxiv.14; Acts xi. 28, (in the same sense Joseph. antt. 8, 13, 4 πᾶσα 7 ol«.; ef. Bleek, Erkliar. ἃ. drei ersten Evv. i. p. 68); by meton. the inhabitants of the earth, men: Acts xvii. 6, 31 (Ps. ix. 9); xix. 27; ἡ οἰκ. ὅλη, all mankind, Rev. iii. 10; xii. 9. 2. the universe, the world: 88}. 1. 7 (alternating there with τὰ πάντα) ; ἡ oik. ἡ μέλλουσα, that consummate state of all things which will exist after Christ’s return from heaven, Heb. ii. 5 (where the word alternates with πάντα and τὰ πάντα, vs. 8, which there is taken in an absolute sense).
Mounce Concise Greek Dictionary
οἰκουμένη oikoumenē 15x
some list as a participle, the habitable earth, world, Matt. 24:14; Rom. 10:18; Heb. 1:6; used, however, with various restrictions of meaning, according to the context, Lk. 2:1; Acts 17:6; meton. the inhabitants of the earth, the whole human race, mankind, Acts 17:31; 19:27; Rev. 3:10. Some view this word as a participial form of οἰκέω.
Abbott-Smith Greek Lexicon
οἰκουμένη, -ης, ἡ
(fem. pres. pass. ptcp. of οἰκέω; sc. γῆ), [in LXX chiefly for תֵּבֵל, אֶרֶץ;]
the inhabited earth; in cl., the countries occupied by Greeks, as disting. from barbarian lands (Hdt., Dem., al.);
in later writers, the Roman world: Lk 2:1, Ac 11:28 24:5; by meton., of its inhabitants: Ac 17:6 19:27;
in LXX (Ps 22 (23):1 70 (71):8, al.) and NT, also of the whole inhabited world: Mt 24:14, Lk 4:5 21:26, Ro 10:18, He 1:6, Re 3:10 16:14; by meton. (ut supr.), Ac 17:31, Re 12:9;
of the Messianic age, ἡ οἰ. ἡ μέλλουσα = ὁ αἰὼ ὁ μέλλων: He 2:5.†
Moulton & Milligan — Vocabulary of the Greek NT
οἰκουμένη. Ἢ οἰκουμένη (γῆ), ‘‘the inhabited world,” isa common designation of the Roman Empire, orbis terrarum : cf. e.g. the notification of the accession of Nero, P Oxy VII. 10215 (A.D. 54) ὃ δὲ τῆς οἰκουμένης Kal προσδοκηθεὶς Kal ἐλπισθεὶς Αὐτοκράτωρ ἀποδέδεικται, ἀγαθὸς δαίμων δὲ τῆς οἰκουμένης [ἀρ]χὴ ὦν [[peyio]] τε πάντων ἀγαθῶν Νέρων Καῖσαρ ἀποδέδεικται, ‘and the expectation and hope of the world has been declared Emperor, the good genius of the world and source of all good things, Nero, has been declared Caesar” (Ed.): cf. OGZS 6665, 668°. Similarly Pretsighe 176? (A.D. 161-180) with reference to Marcus Aurelius—roy εὐεργέτην καὶ σωτῆρα τῆς ὅλης οἰκουϊμένης. In 20. 1070 (Abydos) a god [Besa 2] is invoked as—&evotov καὶ 80 ὅλης οἰκουμέν(ης) μαρτυρούμενον. See also such magic invocations as P Lond 12174 (iii/A.p.) (=I. p. 107) σὲ καλῶ Toy καταλάμποντα τὴν ὅλην οἰκουμένην, P Leid V 1-9 (ili/iv A.D.) ἥκε μοι o (/. ὦ) δέσποτα τοῦ οὐρανοῦ, ἐπιλάμπων τῇ οἰκουμένῃ. A very early instance of the phrase occurs in PSI V. 541 7 where a certain Aigyptos supplicates Ptolemy Il. or III.—cod τῆς οἰκουμένης πάσης βασιλεύοντος : cf. 1 Esdr 2°. We may add a new ex. from the New Comedy in P Hib I. 5 Fr. (a)!® τῆς οἰκουμένης | ἱερὰ σαφῶς αὕτη ᾽στὶν ἡ χώρα μόνη. It is hardly necessary to point out that the pleasant hyperbole of Lk 21, Ac 1178 (cf. Ramsay Paud Ρ- 48 f.) αἰ. must not be pressed too far.
Liddell-Scott-Jones — Greek-English Lexicon
οἰκουμένη (oikoumenē) — world. οἰκουμέν-η (i.e. γῆ), ἡ, inhabited region, see at {οἰκέω} [Refs 4th c.BC+]; then the Greek world, opposed to barbarian lands, [Refs 4th c.BC+] = the inhabited world (including non-Greek lands, as Ethiopia, India, Scythia), as opposed to possibly uninhabited regions,[Refs 4th c.BC+] = our world (= Asia, Libya, Europe); οἰκουμέναι worlds,[LXX+4th c.BC+]; loosely, the whole world, [Refs 4th c.BC+]: so perhaps in some passages cited under [Refs]
II. the Roman world, ὁ ἀγαθὸς δαίμων (etc.) τῆς οἰ., i.e. the Emperor, [NT+1st c.AD+]
III. ἡ οἰ. ἡ μέλλουσα the world to come, i.e. the kingdom of Christ, [NT]