Quick Definition
πότερος, α, ον Irg.adv. which of two, whether
Strong's Definition
neuter of a comparative of the base of 4226; interrogative as adverb, which (of two), i.e. is it this or that
KJV Usage: whether
UBS Dictionary of the Greek New Testament
advb. | ποῦ + ἕτερος
UBS Dictionary of the Greek New Testament © United Bible Societies, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0.
Thayer's Greek Lexicon
πότερος, -a, -ov, [fr. Hom. down], which of two; πότερον - « « ἢ, utrum...an, whether... or, [W. § 57,1 b.; B. 250 (215)]: Jn. vii. 17.
Mounce Concise Greek Dictionary
πότερον poteron 1x
interrogative of πότερος, α, ον, which never occurs in NT other than in this form, whether?, Jn. 7:17*
Abbott-Smith Greek Lexicon
πότερος, -α, -ον, which of two. Neut., adverbially, πότερον, whether: Jo 7:17.†
Moulton & Milligan — Vocabulary of the Greek NT
πότερον. For the adverbial use, as in Jn γ17, cf. P Tebt II. 2895 (A.D. 23) οὕτως γὰρ γνώσομαι πότερον ἐπὶ τόπων σε ἐάσω πράττοντά τι ἢ . . ., “for I shall thus know whether I shall leave you in employment where you are or...’ (Edd.). The rare adjectival use (see /Pro/eg. p- 77) is seen in P Lond 191275 (A.D. 41) in the address of the Emperor Claudius to the Alexandrines, τῆς δὲ πρὸς ᾿Ιουδαίους ταραχῆς . . . πότεροι μὲν αἴτιοι κατέστησαν, **as to the question which of you were responsible for the riot against the Jews ’’ (Bell).
Liddell-Scott-Jones — Greek-English Lexicon
πότερος (poteros) — whether. πότερος, α, ον; Ionic dialect κότερος, η, ον: whether of the two? both in direct and indirect questions; once in [Refs 8th c.BC+]: sometimes the two objects referred to follow in apposition, ἐρωτώσης τῆς μητρός, π. καλλίων.. δοκεῖ εἶναι, ὁ πατὴρ ἢ οὗτος [Refs 5th c.BC+]; modified by τις, [Refs]; repeated in the same sentence, πότερος ποτερου φίλος γίγνετα; [Refs]
II. neuter πότερον and πότερα (interchangeable, πότερον δέδρακεν ἢ οὔ, καὶ πότερ᾽ ἄκων ἢ ἑκώ; [Refs 5th c.BC+] adverb at the beginning of an interrogative sentence containing two alternative propositions, the second being connected by ἤ.., whether.. or,
II. a in direct questions, [Refs 5th c.BC+]
II. b in indirect questions, ἐπείρεσθαι κότερα τὴν ἑωυτοῦ ἢ τὴν Κύρου λέγοι ἀρχήν [Refs 5th c.BC+] precedes the common Verb, π. βούλοιτο μένειν ἢ ἀπιένα; [Refs]
II.2. sometimes a third clause (with ἤ) is inaccurately added, κότερα παρὰ δήμου ἢ ὀλιγαρχίης ἢ μουνάρχο; [Refs 5th c.BC+]; and a fourth, [Refs]
II.3. the second alternative is sometimes left to be supplied, πότερα δὴ κερτομῶν λέγεις τάδε (i.e. ἢ μή..); [Refs 5th c.BC+]
II.4. πότερον is sometimes omitted in the first clause, ἐπισκέψασθαι.., ὀρθὴ ἢ ψευδής [Refs]
II.5. in affirmative sentences, π.. ἤ, either.. or, [Refs 1st c.AD+]
III. indefinite, one of other, either of the two, τί οὐ λέγει π. ὑμῶ; [Refs 5th c.BC+]; ἅτεροι πότεροι, ={ὁποτεροιοῦν}, [Refs 3rd c.BC+] would make it oxytone ποτερός, ά, o/n.
IV. adverb ποτέρως, see entry (I.-[Refs 5th c.BC+] q[uglide]o-tero-s, cf. Sanskrit katarás, Gothic hwapar 'which of two?')