Quick Definition
σκιά, ᾶς, ἡ n.f. a shadow, thick darkness, an outline
Strong's Definition
"shade" or a shadow (literally or figuratively (darkness of error or an adumbration))
Derivation: apparently a primary word;
KJV Usage: shadow
UBS Dictionary of the Greek New Testament
noun, f. | -ᾶς | ἀποσκίασμα · ἐπισκιάζω · κατασκιάζω
14.60 · Physical Events and States · Darkness
shade shade, as a shelter from light and the heat associated with light A term for ‘shade’ as an area sheltered from the direct rays of the sun usually differs from a term for ‘shadow,’ which is cast by a particular object blocking rays of light (see 14.61).
14.61 · Physical Events and States · Darkness
shadow the shape or shade cast by an object which blocks rays of light In LUK 1:79 (τοῖς ἐν σκότει καὶ σκιᾷ θανάτου καθημένοις ‘those living in the darkness and shadow of death’), σκιά may be interpreted as being used figuratively of a shadow cast by impending death, that is to say, death is personified in such a way as to suggest that it casts a shadow because of its nearness. One may, therefore, translate τοῖς ἐν σκότει καὶ σκιᾷ θανάτου καθημένοις as ‘those who live in the darkness of impending death,’ in which case σκιά becomes essentially equivalent to an expression of time.
In a number of languages a term for ‘shadow’ has a number of very important meanings. In some instances it is regarded as a part of personality which goes on to the next world, since a dead person no longer ‘casts a shadow.’ The shadow may also be regarded as a kind of counterpart of the personality, a type of alter ego. In cases of severe illness one may say ‘his shadow has walked away,’ and in many parts of the world the shadow of a person is an important element in the practice of black magic, for to damage a shadow may be regarded as a means of causing harm to a person.
UBS Dictionary of the Greek New Testament © United Bible Societies, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0.
Thayer's Greek Lexicon
σκιά, -as, ἡ, [(see σκηνή, init.)], fr. Hom. down, Sept. for 5x ; a. prop. shadow, i. 6. shade caused by the interception of the light: Mk. iv. 32 (cf. Ezek. xvii. 23) ; Acts v.15; σκιὰ θανάτου, shadow of death (like umbra mortis, Ovid. metam. 5, 191, and umbra Erebi, Verg. Aen. 4, 26; 6, 404), ‘the densest darkness’ (because from of old Hades had been regarded as enveloped in thick darkness), trop. the thick darkness of error [i. e. spiritual death; see θάνατος, 17: Mt. iv. 16; Lk. i. 79, (fr. Is. ix. 1, where minx). b. a shadow, i. e. an image cast by an object and representing the form of that object : opp. to σῶμα, the thing itself, Col. ii. 17 ; hence i. q. a sketch, outline, adumbration, Heb. viii. 5; opp. to εἰκών, the ‘express’ likeness, the very image, Heb. x. 1 (as in Cic. de off. 3,17, 69 nos veri juris solidam et expresssam effigiem nullam tenemus, wmbra et imaginibus utimur).
Mounce Concise Greek Dictionary
σκιά skia 7x
a shade, shadow, Mk. 4:32; Acts 5:15; met. a shadow, a foreshadowing, a vague outline, in distinction from ἡ εἰκών, the perfect image or delineation, and τὸ σῶμα, the reality, Col. 2:17; Heb. 8:5; 10:1; gloom; σκιὰ θανάτου, death shade, the thickest darkness, Mt. 4:16; Lk. 1:79*
Abbott-Smith Greek Lexicon
σκιά, -ᾶς, ἡ
[in LXX chiefly for צֵל, IV Ki 20:9 ff., Ps 56 (57):1, al.; but σ. and σ. θανάτου are also used for צַלְמָוֶת, Jb 3:5, Ps 22 (23):4, Is 9:2 (1) (v. ICC, in l.), al. ;]
shadow, shade, caused by interception of light: Mk 4:32, Ac 5:15; metaph., σ. θανάτου, of ignorance and error, Mt 4:16, Lk 1:79 (LXX).
a shadow, the image or outline cast by an object: fig., ὑπόδειγμα καὶ σ., He 8:5; opp. to σῶμα, Col 2:17; opp. to εἰκών, He 10:1.†
Moulton & Milligan — Vocabulary of the Greek NT
σκιά, “shade,” is used of the shadow on a sun-dial in Prezsighke 3583 (iii/B.c.) μεθίσταται τὸ ἄκρον τῆς σκιᾶς ἐν ἡμέραις τριάκοντα. Other exx. of the word are P Oxy VIII. 108848 (medical receipt—early i/A.D.) ἐν τῆι σκιᾷ Enpavas, ‘dry in the shade,” and OG/S 201% (vi/A.D.) οὐκ ἀφῶ αὐτοὺς καθεσθῆναι els THY σκιάν, εἰ μὴ (-- ἀλλὰ) ὑπὸ ἡλίου ἔξω. In BGU IV. ττ413} (B.c. 13) Schubart thinks that σκιά is perhaps used in the sense of an ‘‘umbrella,” but Olsson (Papyrusbriefe, p. 52) prefers the meaning ‘‘a variegated border,” as in Sy// 653 (=% 736)2%24 (B.c. 92): cf. also P Oxy VI. 921? (iii/A.D.) σινδόνια σκιωτά, ““ cambrics with variegated borders”’ rather than ‘‘ with shaded stripes,” and the editors’ suggestion ad /. that σικιωτεν in P Tebt II. 4131! is perhaps for σκιωτόν. With Heb 10! cf. Pretstgke 344 Διόδωρος σκιὰν ᾿Αντιφίλου émo(yno[ev, and Vett. Val. p. 248%? with reference to a picture which shows σκιὰν ἔργου καὶ ἀληθείας. Preisigke (Worterb, s.v.) cites the amulet P Masp 11. 67188° (vi/a.p.) for σκιά = ‘an evil spirit’ —ap[a]pvAatdv pe ἀπὸ παντὸς πονηροῦ πν(εύμ)ατος, ὑπόταξόν μου πᾶν πνί(εῦμ)α δαιμονίων φθειροποιῶν... καὶ πᾶσα σκιά (1. πᾶσαν σκιάν). For the verb σκιάζω cf. P Cornell 501° (i/A.p.) ἵνα at olvapia σκίασον, ἐὰν καιρὸς γένηται. For σκιατροφέω see Musonius p. 595. The subst. σκιασμός occurs in Vett. Val. p- 210°. MGr tokvos, ‘‘ shade,’’ ‘* shadow,” has a prothetic vowel: cf. σῦν, στῆθος.
Liddell-Scott-Jones — Greek-English Lexicon
σκιά (skia) — shadow. σκῐά, ᾶς, Ionic dialect σκῐή, ῆς, ἡ, shadow, [Refs 8th c.BC+]; σκιὰ ἀντίστοιχος ὥς like the shadow that is one's double, [Refs 5th c.BC+]
2. reflection, image (in a bowl of oil), [Refs 8th c.BC+]
3. shade of one dead, phantom, [Refs 8th c.BC+]; κατθανὼν δὲ πᾶς ἀνὴρ γῆ καὶ σ. [Refs 5th c.BC+]; also, of one worn to a shadow, [Refs 4th c.BC+]; κακωθεὶς δ᾽ οὐδὲν ἄλλ᾽ εἰμ᾽ ἢ σ. [Refs 5th c.BC+]: frequently in proverbs of man's mortal estate, σκιᾶς ὄναρ ἄνθρωπος [Refs 5th c.BC+]; ὁρῶ γὰρ ἡμᾶς οὐδὲν ἄλλο πλὴν εἴδωλα.. ἢ κούφην σ. [Refs]; of human affairs, εὐτυχοῦντα μὲν σκιᾷ τις ἂν πρέψειεν [Refs 4th c.BC+]; οὐδὲν μᾶλλον ἢ καπνοῦ σ. [Refs]; of worthless things, τἄλλ᾽ ἐγὼ καπνοῦ σκιᾶς οὐκ ἂν πριαίμην [Refs 5th c.BC+]; περὶ ὄνου σκιᾶς [μάχεσθαι] [Refs 5th c.BC+] wrote a Comedy texts entitled Ὄνου σκι; ἡ ἐν Δελφοῖς σ. that phantom at Delphi, of the Amphictyonic council, [Refs 4th c.BC+]; αἱ τοῦ δικαίου σ. mere shadows of.., [Refs 5th c.BC+]; σκιαὶ τῶν ὄντων, ἀλλ᾽ οὐκ εἰδώλων σ[Refs 4th c.BC+]
4. evil spirit, [Refs 6th c.AD+]
II. shade of trees, etc., as a protection from heat, πετραίη τε σκιή the shade of a rock, [Refs 8th c.BC+]; ἐν σκιῇ ἑζόμενος[Refs 5th c.BC+]; ἐν σκιᾷ, i.e. indoors, [Refs 5th c.BC+]; σκιὰν ὑπερτείνασα Σειρίου κυνός shade from its heat, [Refs 5th c.BC+]
III. shadow in painting, τὰ λαμπρὰ τῇ σκιᾷ τρανότερα ποιοῦσι [Refs 1st c.BC+]; ἀνθρώπων πρῶτος ἐξευρὼν φθορὰν καὶ ἀπόχρωσιν σκιᾶς, of the painter Apollodorus, [Refs 1st c.AD+]
III.2. silhouette, profile, Διόδωρος σ. Ἀντιφίλου ἐποίησεν [Refs 2nd c.BC+]
III.3. perhaps coloured border on a garment, καλάσηριν ἢ ὑπόδυμα μὴ ἔχον σκιάς [Refs 4th c.BC+]
IV. an uninvited guest, introduced by another (Latin umbra), [Refs 1st c.AD+]. (Cf. Sanskrit chāyā´ 'shadow'.)