Quick Definition
ῥίζα, ης, ἡ n.f. a root, that which comes from the root
Strong's Definition
a "root" (literally or figuratively)
Derivation: apparently a primary word;
KJV Usage: root
UBS Dictionary of the Greek New Testament
noun, f. | -ης | ῥιζόομαι
3.47 · Plants · Non-Fruit Parts of Plants
root the underground part of a plant In MRK 11:20, a literal translation of ‘withered away to the roots’ may be misunderstood, since the expression might suggest that the tree had withered only as far down as the roots but that the roots had not withered. The Greek text, however, indicates that the entire tree including the roots had withered and was completely dead.
MAT 3:10 · MAT 13:6 · MAT 13:21 · MRK 4:6 · MRK 4:17 · MRK 11:20 · LUK 3:9 · LUK 8:13 · ROM 11:16 · ROM 11:17 · ROM 11:18 · ROM 11:18 · HEB 12:15
10.33 · Kinship Terms · Kinship Relations Involving Successive Generations
descendant, offspring (a figurative extension of meaning of ῥίζα[a] ‘root,’ 3.47) a descendant, with probable connotations of continuing relation
89.17 · Relations · Cause and/or Reason
source, cause, reason (a figurative extension of meaning of ῥίζα[a] ‘root,’ 3.47) that which constitutes a basic source or reason for an event or state In a number of languages this passage in 1TI 6:10 must be structurally modified, for example, ‘because people love money, they do all those bad things.’
UBS Dictionary of the Greek New Testament © United Bible Societies, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0.
Thayer's Greek Lexicon
ῥίζα, -ης, ἡ, (akin to Germ. Reis [ef. Lat. radix; Eng. root; see Curtius §515; Fick, Pt. iii. 7157), fr. Hom. down; Sept. for ww ; 1. a root: prop., Mt. iii. 10; Lk. iii. 9; ἐκ ῥιζῶν, from the roots [cf. W. § 51, 1 4.1, Mk. xi. 20; ῥίζαν ἔχειν, to strike deep root, Mt. xiii. 6; Mk. iv. 6; trop. οὐ ῥίζαν ἔχειν ἐν ἑαυτῷ, spoken of one who has but a superficial experience of divine truth, has not permitted it to make its way into the inmost recesses of his soul, Mt. xiii. 21; Mk. iv. 17; Lk. viii. 13; in fig. dise. ῥίζα πικρίας (see πικρία) of a person disposed to apostatize and induce others to commit the same offence, Heb. xii. 15; the progenitors of a race are called ῥίζα, their descendants κλάδοι (see κλάδος, b.), Ro. xi. 16-18. Metaph. cause, origin, source: πάντων τῶν κακῶν, 1 Tim. vi. 10; τῆς σοφίας, Sir. i. 6 (5), 20 (18); τῆς ἀθανασίας, Sap. Xv. 3; τῆς ἁμαρτίας, of the devil, Ev. Nicod. 23; ἀρχὴ καὶ ῥίζα παντὸς ἀγαθοῦ, Epicur. ap. Athen. 12, 67 p. 546 sq.; πηγὴ καὶ ῥίζα καλοκαγαθίας τὸ νομίμου τυχεῖν παιδείας, Plut. de puer. educ. ο. 7b. 2. after the use of the Hebr. ww, that which like a root springs from a root, α sprout, shoot ; metaph. offspring, progeny: Ro. xv. 12; Rev. v. 5; xxii. 16, (Is. xi. 10).
Mounce Concise Greek Dictionary
ῥίζα rhiza 17x
a root of a tree, Mt. 3:10; 13:6; met. ἔχειν ῥίζαν, or ἔχειν ῥίζαν ἐν ἑαυτῷ, to be rooted in faith, Mt. 13:21; Mk. 4:17; Lk. 8:13; met. cause, source, origin, 1 Tim. 6:10; Heb. 12:15; by synec. the trunk, stock of a tree, met. Rom. 11:16, 17, 18; met. offspring, progeny, a descendant, Rom. 15:12; Rev. 5:5; 22:16
Abbott-Smith Greek Lexicon
ῥίζα, -ης, ἡ
[in LXX chiefly for שָׁרַשׁ ;]
a root: Mt 3:10, Lk 3:9; ἐκ ῥιζῶν, Mk 11:20; ῥ. ἔχειν, Mt 13:6, Mk 4:6; id. seq. ἐν ἑαυτῷ, fig., Mt 13:21, Mk 4:17, Lk 8:13. Metaph. (as in various senses in cl.), of cause, origin, source, etc.;
of things, ῥ. πάντων τ. κακῶν (Eur.), I Ti 6:10;
of persons: of ancestors, Ro 11:16-18; ῥ. πικρίας, He 12:15. Of that which springs from a root, a shoot; metaph., of offspring, Ro 15:12 (LXX), Re 5:5 22:16.†
Moulton & Milligan — Vocabulary of the Greek NT
ῥίζα. For the literal sense ‘‘root’’ cf. P Oxy XIV. 1674° (ii/A.D.) καῦσον τὴν ῥίζαν αὐτῆς, “burn its roots,” with reference to an acacia tree. In P Lond 121178 (iii/a.p.) (=I. p. 89) the eating of roots of bugloss, [pitas BuyAou (i.e. βουγλώσσου), is recommended to prevent the breath from smelling after eating garlic. The metaphorical sense of ‘‘origin,”’ “ancestry,” is seen in OG/S 383% (mid. i/B.c.), where Antiochus I. refers to the Persians and Greeks as ἐμοῦ γένους εὐτυχεστάτη ῥίζα : cf. Rev 2215.
Liddell-Scott-Jones — Greek-English Lexicon
ῥίζα (rhiza) — root. ῥίζ-α, ης, ἡ: Ionic dialect nominative ῥίζη [Refs 8th c.BC+]:—root, [Refs 8th c.BC+]; used as a medicine, [Refs 8th c.BC+]; ῥ. ἐλατήριος, of a purgative medicine, [Refs 5th c.BC+]: mostly in plural, roots, [Refs 8th c.BC+]
2. metaphorically, roots of the eye, [Refs 8th c.BC+] probably bloodshot streaks); the roots or foundations of the earth, [Refs 8th c.BC+]; of feathers, hair, etc., [Refs 5th c.BC+]; of the teeth, [Refs]
3. τὸν πόλεμον ἐκ ῥιζῶν ἀνῄρηκε 'root and branch', [LXX+1st c.AD+]; compare ῥιζόθεν, πρόρριζος.
II. that from which anything springs as from a root, ῥίζαν ἀπείρου τρίταν a third continental foundation, of Libya, [Refs 5th c.BC+]; ἀστέων ῥ., of Cyrene, as the root or original of the Cyrenaic Pentapolis, [Refs]; root or stock from which a family springs, ῥ. σπέρματος [Refs 5th c.BC+]; so, race, family, [Refs 5th c.BC+]; συκοφάντου.. σπέρμα καὶ ῥ. [Refs 4th c.BC+]; sect, party, [NT+5th c.BC+]
II.2. base, foundation, ῥ. πάντων καὶ βάσις ἁ γᾶ ἐρήρεισται Ti. Locrian dialect[Refs 5th c.BC+]; base of a vertical pillar, [Refs 1st c.AD+]
II.3. in Mathematics texts, root or base of a series, Anatolius cited in [Refs]. (Aeolic dialect βρίζα (which see): cf. Gothic waúrts, Latin radix.)