Quick Definition
ποικίλος, η, ον Adj various, of different colors
Strong's Definition
motley, i.e. various in character
Derivation: of uncertain derivation;
KJV Usage: divers, manifold
UBS Dictionary of the Greek New Testament
UBS Dictionary of the Greek New Testament © United Bible Societies, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0.
Thayer's Greek Lexicon
ποικίλος, -7, -ov, fr. Hom. down, various i. 6. 8: of divers colors, variegated: Sept. Ὁ. i. q. of divers sorts: Mt. iv. 24; Mk. i. 34; Lk. iv. 40; 2 Tim. iii. 6; Tit. iii. 3; Heb. ii. 4; xiii. 9; Jas.i. 2; 1 Pet.i. 6; iv. 10, [(A. V. in the last two exx. manifold) ].
Mounce Concise Greek Dictionary
ποικίλος poikilos 10x
of various colors, variegated, checkered; various, diverse, manifold, Mt. 4:24
Abbott-Smith Greek Lexicon
ποικίλος, -η, -ον,
[in LXX for נָקֹד, רִקְמָה, etc.;]
many-coloured, variegated. Metaph., various, manifold: Mt 4:24, Mk 1:34, Lk 4:40, II Ti 3:6, Tit 3:3, He 2:4 13:9, Ja 1:2, I Pe 1:6 4:10.†
Moulton & Milligan — Vocabulary of the Greek NT
ποικίλος he will leave certain property to the temple—éJyra ὅ[σα] ἐποίησα ἐπ᾽ ὀνόματός σου εἶναι τοῦ [ἐν ᾿Αλεξανδρείᾳ θεοῦ] μεγ[ά]λου Σαράπιδος, ‘all that I placed in your name is the property of the great Serapis at Alexandria.’” In records of manumission, it is frequently stated that an enfranchised slave is free ποιεῖν ὅ ka θέλῃ, ‘Sto do whatever he wills”: see Deissmann (LAZ p. 328f.), who compares Gal 57. For the forms ποῖσαι Lk 118, ποίσας Jn 514 W, see Moulton G7». ii. p. 73, and cf. Archiv iv. p. 492. ΠεποιήKeay, as in Mk 157, is found in J/agz 93(b)*4 (a Senate decree—c. B.C. 190).
Liddell-Scott-Jones — Greek-English Lexicon
ποικίλος (poikilos) — various. ποικίλος [ῐ], η, ον, many-coloured, spotted, pied, dappled, παρδαλέη [Refs 8th c.BC+]; δράκων [Refs 5th c.BC+]; ἴυγξ[Refs 5th c.BC+]; also of cattle, [Refs 3rd c.BC+]; -ώτερον ταὧ [Refs 2nd c.AD+]; opposed to ὁμόχρους, [Refs 5th c.BC+]; λίθος Αἰθιοπικὸς π., of the red granite of Syene, [Refs 4th c.BC+]; σφαῖρα [Refs 5th c.BC+], tattooed.
II. wrought in various colours, of woven or embroidered stuffs, in [Refs 8th c.BC+]; ἐν ποικίλοις.. κάλλεσιν βαίνειν, of a rich carpet, [Refs 4th c.BC+]; π., τό, a broidered robe, [Refs 5th c.BC+]; of Cyprian, Carthaginian, and Sicilian stuffs, [Refs 5th c.BC+]. adverb -λως, ὑφασμένον [LXX+4th c.BC+]
II.2. of metal work, τεύχεα π. χαλκῷ cunningly wrought in bronze, [Refs 8th c.BC+]intricate, [Refs]
II.3. ἡ στοὰ ἡ π. the [Refs 4th c.BC+]; also Ποικίλη alone, [Refs 2nd c.AD+]; or ἡ Π., [Refs]; also π. στοά, at Olympia, [Refs 2nd c.AD+]; λέσχη π., at Sparta, [Refs 3rd c.BC+]
II.4. of drugs, complicated, [Refs 2nd c.AD+]
III. metaphorically, changeful, diversified, manifold, εὐμορφία [Refs 5th c.BC+]; παντοδαπὰς ἡδονὰς καὶ π. καὶ παντοίως ἐχούσας[Refs 2nd c.AD+]; π. μῆνες the changing months, [Refs 5th c.BC+]. adverb -λως in various ways, [Refs 5th c.BC+] Herod.middle in [Refs] but -ώτερον [Refs 2nd c.AD+]
III.2. of Art, π. ὕμνος a song of changeful strain or full of diverse art, [Refs 5th c.BC+]; of style, λέξις ποιητικωτέρα καὶ π. [Refs 5th c.BC+]; σχηματισμοί [Refs 1st c.BC+]
III.3. intricate, complex, εἱλιγμοὶ -ώτατοι, of a labyrinth, [Refs 5th c.BC+]; of an oracle, [Refs]; ὁ θεὸς ἔφυ τι π. [Refs 5th c.BC+]; π. νόμος, opposed to νοῆσαι ῥᾴδιος, [Refs 5th c.BC+]; π. μηχάνημα, λόγοι, [Refs 5th c.BC+]; opposed to ἁπλούστερος, [Refs 4th c.BC+] adverb -λως, αὐδώμενος speaking in double sense, [Refs 5th c.BC+]
III.3. b of abstruse knowledge, intricate, subtle, εἰδέναι τι π. [Refs 5th c.BC+]; οὐδὲν π. nothing abstruse or difficult, [Refs 5th c.BC+]
III.3. c of persons and things, subtle, artful, wily, of Prometheus, [Refs 8th c.BC+]; of Odysseus, [Refs 5th c.BC+]; π. λαλήματα, of the Sirens, [Refs 5th c.BC+]. adverb subtly, artfully, [Refs 5th c.BC+]
III.4. changeable, unstable, ὁ εὐδαίμων οὐ π. καὶ εὐμετάβολος [Refs 4th c.BC+]; π. ἐλπίδες doubtful hopes, [Refs 2nd c.BC+] adverb -λως, ἔχειν to be different, [Refs 5th c.BC+] (Cf. Sanskrit pimśáti 'dress (meat)', 'adorn', péśas 'shape', 'colour', 'embroidery', Lithuanian pi[etilde]šti 'draw', 'write', Slavonic p[icaron]sati 'write'.)