Quick Definition
πτύω v. I spit
Strong's Definition
a primary verb (compare 4428); to spit
KJV Usage: spit
UBS Dictionary of the Greek New Testament
verb | ἐκπτύω · ἐμπτύω · πτύον · πτύσμα
23.43 · Physiological Processes and States · Processes Involving the Mouth, Other Than Eating and Drinking
to spit to spit on or at something or someone In some societies spitting has quite a different symbolic meaning than it has in the Western world. In fact, in some societies in Africa, to spit upon a person’s head is to confer a blessing. It may therefore be necessary in the case of MAT 26:67 to translate ‘they spat in his face’ as ‘they spat in his face to dishonor him’ or ‘... to show their anger against him.’
1 It is possible that a distinction in meaning should be made between πτύω and ἐμπτύω, in which case the latter term would emphasize the spitting in or upon an object. However, there are insufficient contrasts in contexts to warrant making such a distinction.
UBS Dictionary of the Greek New Testament © United Bible Societies, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0.
Thayer's Greek Lexicon
πτύω: [(Lat. spuo, our spue; Curtius § 382)]; 1 aor. ἔπτυσα; fr. Hom. down; to spit: Mk. vii. 88; viii. 23; Jn. ix. 6. [Comp.: ἐκ-, éu-rrie.]
Mounce Concise Greek Dictionary
πτύω ptyō 3x
to spit, spit out, Mk. 7:33; 8:23; Jn. 9:6
Abbott-Smith Greek Lexicon
πτύω,
[in LXX: Nu 12:14 (ירק), Si 28:12*;]
to spit: Mk 7:33 8:23, Jo 9:6 (cf. ἐκ-, ἐμ-πτύω).†
Liddell-Scott-Jones — Greek-English Lexicon
πτύω (ptuō) — to spit. πτύω, [Refs 8th c.BC+]future πτύσω [ῠ] [Refs 5th c.BC+]; πτύσομαι [Refs]aorist ἔπτῠσα[Refs 5th c.BC+]: perfect ἔπτῠκα [Refs 2nd c.AD+] —passive, future πτυσθήσομαι (ἀνα-) [NT]: aorist ἐπτύσθην [Refs 5th c.BC+]: aorist 2 participle πτυέντα [Refs]. [ῡ in present and imperfect; later Epic dialect have ῠ in imperfect before a short syllable, [Refs 4th c.AD+], but mostly in compounds, (ἀνα-) [Refs 3rd c.BC+]; ῠ always in aorist): —spit out or up, αἷμα Il.[same place], [Refs 5th c.BC+]: absolutely, spit, [Refs 5th c.BC+] spat in his face, [Refs 5th c.BC+]
2. of the sea, disgorge, cast out, με.. τηλόσ᾽ ἀπὸ.. ἠϊόνος [Refs 3rd c.BC+]with a splash, [Refs 1st c.AD+]
2. b of fish, spawn, [Refs 2nd c.AD+]
2. c proverbial, πρὶν πτύσαι 'before you can say Jack Robinson', [Refs 4th c.BC+]
3. metaphorically, πτύσας with loathing, [Refs 5th c.BC+]
4. εἰς κόλπον π., to avert a bad omen, disarm magic, etc., which was done three times, ὡς μὴ βασκανθῶ δὲ τρὶς εἰς ἐμὸν ἔπτυσα κόλπον [Refs 4th c.BC+]; ὑπὸ κόλπον π. [Refs 2nd c.AD+]
II. promote the flow of spittle, of certain wines, in passive, [Refs 5th c.BC+]. (Cf. Gothic speiwan 'spit', Latin spuo, etc.)