Quick Definition
πλεονάζω v. I abound, increase
Strong's Definition
from 4119; to do, make or be more, i.e. increase (transitively or intransitively); by extension, to superabound
KJV Usage: abound, abundant, make to increase, have over
UBS Dictionary of the Greek New Testament
verb | aor.opt.3sg. πλεονάσαι | πλεονεκτέω · πλεονέκτης · πλεονεξία · πλείων · ὑπερπλεονάζω
59.67 · Quantity · Increase, Decrease
to increase considerably, to become more and more, to multiply to increase considerably the extent of an activity or state, with the implication of the result being an abundance It may be difficult in some languages to speak of ‘sin increasing,’ but in ROM 5:20 one can say ‘where people sinned more and more.’
In 2CO 4:15 the increase would be in the instances of God’s grace extending to more and more people.
78.32 · Degree · More Than, Less Than [Comparative Degree]
to cause to be intense, to cause to be more, to cause to grow to cause an increase in the degree of some experience or state It would seem that πλεονάσαι and περισσεύσαι in 1TH 3:12 simply reinforce the meaning of intense degree. It is assumed that these two expressions are not completely synonymous, but it is difficult to determine precisely how they may contrast. It may simply be that περισσεύσαι is somewhat more emphatic.
59.48 · Quantity · Abundance, Excess, Sparing
to be in abundance, to have in abundance to exist or be in abundance The two participial forms, ὑπάρχοντα (see 57.2) and πλεονάζοντα, are coalesced in the translation as ‘have ... in abundance.’
In a number of languages the equivalent of this expression in 2PE 1:8 might be ‘if you have a great many of these’ or ‘for if these are big with you.’
57.23 · Possess, Transfer, Exchange · Have Sufficient
to have more than enough, to have too much to have more than enough to meet one’s needs
1 It is possible that περισσεύω[e] differs somewhat from πλεονάζω[b] in intensity, implying perhaps an overabundance of something, but it is difficult to confirm such a distinction on the basis of existing texts.
UBS Dictionary of the Greek New Testament © United Bible Societies, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0.
Thayer's Greek Lexicon
πλεονάζω; 1 aor. ἐπλεόνασα; (πλέον) ; Sept. for Ἢ» and ΤΊ; 1. intrans.: used of one possessing, to superabound [ A. V. to have over], 2 Co. viii. 15. of things, to exist in abundance [R. V.be multiplied], 2 Co. iv. 15; to increase, be augmented, Ro. v. 20; vi. 1; 2 Th. i. 3; Phil. iv. 17; 2 Pet.i. 8. 2. trans. to make to increase: τινά τινι, one in a thing, 1 Th. iii. 12; for 7397, Num. xxvi. 54; Ps. Ixx. (Ixxi.) 21; add 1 Mace. iv. 35. By prof. writ. [(fr. Hippoer. on)] in various other senses. [Comp.: ὑπερ πλεονάζω.]
Mounce Concise Greek Dictionary
πλεονάζω pleonazō 9x
to be more than enough; to have more than enough, to have in abundance, 2 Cor. 8:15; to abound, be abundant, 2 Thess. 1:3; 2 Pet. 1:8; to increase, be augmented, Rom. 5:20; to come into wider action, be more widely spread, Rom. 6:1; 2 Cor. 4:15; in NT trans. to cause to abound or increase, to augment, 1 Thess. 3:12
Abbott-Smith Greek Lexicon
πλεονάζω
(< πλέον), [in LXX for עדף, רבה, etc.;]
Intrans. Of persons; to abound in (Arist.);
to superabound: II Co 8:15(LXX).
Of things, to abound, superabound: Ro 5:20 6:1, II Co 4:15, Phl 4:17, II Th 1:3, II Pe 1:8.
Trans. (Nu 26:54, Ps 70 (71):21; not cl, v. Lft., Notes, 48 f.), to make to abound: I Th 3:12 (cf. ὑπερ-πλεονάζω).†
SYN.: περισσεύω, q.v.
Moulton & Milligan — Vocabulary of the Greek NT
πλεονάζω. For the generally intrans. use of this verb = ‘‘ abound,” ‘“superabound,” see P Rev L!¥4-13 (p.c. 258) τὸ πλεόναζον τοῦ προκηρυχθέντος, ‘‘in excess of the amount previously decreed,” P Lille I. 1 vwersol® (B.c. 259-8) els ὃ ἔσται βραχὺ τὸ ἀνάλωμα, ὥστε ἀντ᾽ ἐκείνου τοῦ πλεονάζοντος ἔργου ὧδε κομίζεσθαι, ‘“‘ la dépense sera donc peu ἐϊενέε et de la sorte on balancera le supplément de travail indiqué plus haut” (Ed.), P Ryl 11. 2141? (ii/a.p.) με]τὰ τ[ὰς ἀπὸ μερισμοῦ] τοῦ € (ἔτους) e{mAelovak(vias).. . (δραχμάς), ‘‘after deduction of the drachmae in excess of the assessment of the 5th year” (Edd.), and the Andanian inscr. relating tothe mysteries Sy// 653 (= * 736)9® (B.c. 92) εἰ δὲ μή, μὴ ἐπιτρεπόντω οἱ tepol, καὶ τὰ πλειονάζοντα ἱερὰ ἔστω τῶν θεῶν. Cf. also Aristeas 273 διὰ τὸ δύο πλεονάζειν τῶν ἑβδομήκοντα, ‘because their number exceeded seventy by two.” The trans. use of πλεονάζω in 1 Thess 312 can be paralleled from the LXX (Numb 26%, Ps 70(71)#4). For the subst. πλεόνασμα cf. P Tebt I. 787 (B.c. 110-8) and for πλεονασμός cf. P Lond 604 Be (c. A.D. 47) (= III. p. 78) with the editor’s note, and Wilcken Os¢r. i. p. 280.
Liddell-Scott-Jones — Greek-English Lexicon
πλεονάζω (pleonazō) — to increase. πλεον-άζω (rarely πλειονάζω, which see), future -άσω: perfect πεπλεόνακα [Refs 1st c.BC+]:—passive, perfect -ασμαι[Refs 5th c.BC+]: aorist -άσθην[Refs]: (πλέον):—to be more, especially to be more than enough, superfluous, opposed to ἐλλείπειν, ὑπολείπειν, [Refs 4th c.BC+]; τὸ πλεονάζον the excess, [LXX+3rd c.BC+]; π. παρά with accusative, to be in excess of..,[LXX+NT]; of animals, have more than the due number of limbs, opposed to κολοβὰ γίνεσθαι, [Refs 4th c.BC+]; of visits, to be frequent, [Refs 2nd c.BC+]; of the sea, encroach, [Refs 4th c.BC+]; πάθος defined as ὁρμὴ πλεονάζουσα, [Refs 4th c.BC+]; εἰκασία ἐστὶ μεταφορὰ πλεονάζουσα simile is expanded metaphor, [Refs 4th c.BC+]used to excess, [Refs 1st c.BC+]: Grammars, to be redundant, [Refs 2nd c.BC+]; also of letters, τὸ ε ¯ πλεονάζει (in ἑ-ώρων) [Refs]; but π. τῷ ῑ to have an added ῑ (as in ἐμεῖο), [Refs]
2. with genitive, exceed, opposed to λείπω, [Refs 2nd c.AD+] the extra work, [Refs 3rd c.BC+]; τοὺς -άζοντας τῶν ρκέ (i.e. ἐρίφους) the odd [Refs 3rd c.BC+]
II. of persons, go beyond bounds, take or claim too much, [Refs 5th c.BC+]: with dative, presume upon.., εὐτυχίᾳ [Refs 5th c.BC+]go beyond bounds in.., [Refs 1st c.BC+]; of a writer, τοῖς ὀνόμασι π. [Refs]: absolutely, to be lengthy, tedious, [LXX+1st c.BC+]; περί τινος Parmenisc. cited in [Refs 2nd c.AD+]
II.2. π. τινός have an excess of, abound in a thing, opposed to ἐνδεὴς εἶναι, [Refs 4th c.BC+]; but π. τοῦ καιροῦ exceed all bounds.., of a writer, [Refs 1st c.BC+]
III. with accusative, state at a higher figure, [Refs 1st c.BC+]:—passive, to be magnified, exaggerated, [νομίσειεν ἂν] ἔστιν ἃ πλεονάζεσθαι [Refs 5th c.BC+]; πεπλεόνασται has been overdone, opposed to ἐνδεὲς πεποίηται, [Refs 5th c.BC+]
III.2. make to increase, τινὰς τῇ ἀγάπῃ [NT]
III.3. eat in too great quantity, τι [Refs 3rd c.BC+]
III.4. raise the price of, τι [Refs 2nd c.AD+]
III.5. passive, to be deceived, probably falsa lectio for{πλεονεκτεῖσθαι}, [Refs 5th c.AD+]
III.6. Grammars, use in addition or redundantly, εἰώθασιν οἱ Ἀττικοὶ τὰ ἄρθρα πλεονάζειν [Refs 5th c.BC+] —passive, τὸ ῡ πλεοναζόμενον ψιλοῦται[Refs]
III.7. to be in excess of unity, partake of plurality, [Refs 5th c.AD+]