Quick Definition
σημαίνω v. I signify, indicate
Strong's Definition
of uncertain derivation); to indicate
Derivation: from (a mark;
KJV Usage: signify
UBS Dictionary of the Greek New Testament
verb | aor. ἐσήμανα · inf. σημᾶναι | ἄσημος · ἐπισείω · ἐπίσημος · εὔσημος · παράσημος · σημεῖον · σημειόομαι · σύσσημον
UBS Dictionary of the Greek New Testament © United Bible Societies, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0.
Thayer's Greek Lexicon
σημαίνω ; impf. ἐσήμαινον (Acts xi. 28 L WHtxt.); 1 aor. ἐσήμανα, for ἐσήμηνα which is the more com. form in the earlier and more elegant Grk. writ. (see Matthiae § 185; Kiihner ὃ 343s. v.; [Veitch 5. v.]; Lob. ad Phryn. p- 24sq.; W.§15s.v.; Β. 41 (35)); (fr. σῆμα a sign); fr. [Hom.], Aeschyl., Hdt. down; 10 give a sign, to signify, indicate: ri, Acts xxv. 27; foll. by indir. dise., Jn. xii. 33; xviii. 32; xxi. 19; 1. 4. to make known: absol. Rev. i. 1; foll. by acc. w. inf. Acts xi. 28.
Mounce Concise Greek Dictionary
σημαίνω sēmainō 6x
to indicate by a sign, to signal; to indicate, intimate, Jn. 12:33; 18:32; 21:19; to make known, communicate, Acts 11:28; Rev. 1:1; to specify, Acts 25:27*
Abbott-Smith Greek Lexicon
σημαίνω
(< σῆμα, a sign), [in LXX for רוּעַ hi., תָּקַע, etc. ;]
to give a sign, signify, indicate: c. acc. rei, Ac 25:27, Re 1:1 (cf. MM, xxii); c. acc. et inf., Ac 11:28; seq. quæst. indir., Jo 12:33 18:32 21:19.†
Moulton & Milligan — Vocabulary of the Greek NT
σημαίνω, “indicates; τ ΘΟ ἡ: cf iP) Par 5.05 (Bc. 165) διὰ τίῆ]ς ἐπι[στο]λῆς mpon. . . . σημῆναί plor] τὴ[ν] φιλοτιμίαν, P Grenf I. 3015 (B.c. 103) (= Witkowski’, p. 107) διὰ γραμμάτων ἐκρίναμεν σημῆναι, BGU III. 1009
Liddell-Scott-Jones — Greek-English Lexicon
σημαίνω (sēmainō) — to signify. σημαίνω, [Refs 8th c.BC+]; σᾱμαίνω, [Refs]: Ionic dialect imperfect σημαίνεσκον [Refs 4th c.AD+]: future σημᾰνῶ [Refs 5th c.BC+], Ionic dialect -ᾰνέω[Refs 8th c.BC+]aorist ἐσήμηνα[Refs 5th c.BC+], Epic dialect σήμηνα [Refs 8th c.BC+]; but in codices of [NT+5th c.BC+]: perfect σεσήμαγκα [Refs 4th c.BC+] —middle, future σημᾰνοῦμαι, Ionic dialect -έομαι[Refs 5th c.BC+]: aorist ἐσημηνάμην [Refs 8th c.BC+]:—passive, future σημανθήσομαι [Refs 5th c.BC+]: future middle in passive sense, [Refs 5th c.BC+]: aorist ἐσημάνθην [Refs 4th c.BC+]: perfect σεσήμασμαι [Refs 5th c.BC+]; 3rd.pers. singular σεσήμανται [Refs 5th c.BC+], infinitive σεσημάνθαι [Refs 5th c.BC+]: (σῆμα):—show by a sign, indicate, point out, τέρματα [Refs 8th c.BC+]; τοῦτον σημήνας after indicating the person, [Refs 5th c.BC+]; σ. εὔδια πάντα (i.e. εἶναι) [Refs 3rd c.BC+] —middle, πάντα σημαίνει you have all things shown you (?), [Refs]
2. absolutely, give signs, φθόγγος, φῶς σ., [Refs 5th c.BC+]; σ. καπνῷ make signal, [Refs 5th c.BC+] in future with αὐτός, πλοῦς αὐτὸς σημανεῖ [Refs]; αὐτὸ σημανεῖ (without substantive) [Refs]
3. of the Delphic oracle, οὔτε λέγει οὔτε κρύπτει ἀλλὰ σημαίνει [Refs 1st c.AD+]; so of omens, [Refs 5th c.BC+]:—passive, σημαίνεσθαι διὰ τῶν ἐμπύρων [Refs 1st c.AD+]
4. in later Prose intransitive, appear, be manifest, [Refs 4th c.BC+] (but passive in same sense,[Refs 5th c.BC+]
4. b σημαίνει impersonal, signs appear, [Refs 4th c.BC+]
II. give a sign or signal to do a thing, or bid one do it, with dative person et infinitive, [Refs 5th c.BC+]; give orders to, bear command over, with dative, πᾶσι δὲ σημαίνειν [Refs 8th c.BC+]; with genitive, στρατοῦ [Refs 8th c.BC+]: absolutely, give orders, ὁ δὲ σημαίνων ἐπέτελλεν [Refs 8th c.BC+]participle, σημαίνων,= σημάντωρ, [Refs 5th c.BC+]
II.2. in war or battle, give the signal of attack, etc., [Refs 5th c.BC+] give a signal for retreat, [Refs 5th c.BC+]: with infinitive, [Refs 5th c.BC+], signal is given, as τοῖσι Ἕλλησι ὡς ἐσήμηνε when signal was given for the Greeks to attack, [Refs 5th c.BC+]infinitive, ἐσήμαινε παραρτέεσθαι πάντα signal was given to make all ready, [Refs 5th c.BC+]; also σ. ἐπὶ πλόον πῦρ gives the signal for sailing, [Refs 3rd c.AD+]
II.3. generally, σ. [τῷ ἵππῳ] τι, προχωρεῖν σ. τῷ ἵππῳ, [Refs 5th c.BC+]
II.4. make signals, εἰς τὴν πόλιν [Refs] —passive, ἐσημάνθησαν προσπλέουσαι[Refs]
III. signify, indicate, declare, φόνον [Refs 5th c.BC+]; by ὅτι.., [Refs 5th c.BC+]; σ. ὅπου.. [NT+5th c.BC+]: with participle, signify that a thing is, φρυκτοῦ φῶς.. σημαίνει μολόν [Refs 5th c.BC+] —passive, ὁ σημαινόμενος δοῦλος the abovementioned slave, [Refs 1st c.AD+]it having been reported, [Refs 2nd c.BC+]
III.2. interpret, explain, [Refs 5th c.BC+]; tell, speak, [Refs] tell, [Refs 5th c.BC+]
III.3. of a writer, signify, indicate, ὅτι.. [Refs 1st c.BC+]; of words, sentences, etc., signify, mean, ταὐτὸν σημαίνει [Refs 5th c.BC+]; σημαίνοντα significant sounds, opposed to ἄσημα, [Refs] —passive, τὸ σημαινόμενον the sense, meaning of words, [Refs 1st c.BC+]; opposed to τὸ σημαῖνον, [Refs 3rd c.BC+] __B middle σημαίνομαι, give oneself a token, i.e. conclude from signs, conjecture, τὰ μὲν σημαίνομαι, τὰ δ᾽ ἐκπέπληγμαι [Refs 5th c.BC+]; ἄστροις σ. [τὰς πόλεις], proverbial in [Refs 2nd c.AD+]; of dogs hunting, μυξωτῆρσι σ. τι [Refs 3rd c.AD+] __B.II provide with a sign or mark, seal, σημαίνεσθαι βύβλῳ (i.e. βοῦν), i.e. by sealing a strip of byblus round his horn, [Refs 5th c.BC+] —passive, εὖ σεσημάνθαι to be well sealed up, [Refs 5th c.BC+]; τὰ σεσημασμένα, opposed to τὰ ἀσήμαντα, [Refs 5th c.BC+] __B.II.2 mark out, choose for oneself, τοὺς εὐρωστοτάτους [Refs 2nd c.BC+]