Quick Definition
στοιχεῖον, ου, τό n.n. a heavenly body, an element
Strong's Definition
neuter of a presumed derivative of the base of 4748; something orderly in arrangement, i.e. (by implication) a serial (basal, fundamental, initial) constituent (literally), proposition (figuratively)
KJV Usage: element, principle, rudiment
UBS Dictionary of the Greek New Testament
noun, n. | -ου | στοιχέω
2.1 · Natural Substances · Elements
elements, natural substances the materials of which the world and the universe are composed In many languages the closest equivalent of στοιχεῖα is ‘the things of which the world is made’ or ‘what the world is made of’ or ‘the substances of which the universe consists.’
12.43 · Supernatural Beings and Powers · Supernatural Powers
the supernatural powers over this world the supernatural powers or forces regarded as having control over the events of this world In a number of languages there is no way of speaking of ‘supernatural powers’ or ‘supernatural forces.’ Reference can only be made to such powers in terms of kinds of spirit beings; therefore, one may render στοιχεῖα[b] in COL 2:20 as ‘those spirits that have power’ or ‘those spirits which control.’
58.19 · Nature, Class, Example · Basic Principles or Features Defining the Nature of Something
basic principles, elementary concepts basic principles which underlie the nature of something In some languages it may be extremely difficult to find the lexical equivalents of ‘the basic principles about the elementary aspects.’ In Greek this represents highly generic vocabulary, and in many languages the closest equivalent is ‘how to understand the simple truths.’ Therefore, this expression in HEB 5:12 may be rendered as ‘again you have need for someone to teach you how to understand the simple truths about God’s message.’
UBS Dictionary of the Greek New Testament © United Bible Societies, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0.
Thayer's Greek Lexicon
στοιχεῖον, -ov, τό, (fr. στοῖχος a row, rank, series; hence prop. that which belongs to any orotyos, that of which a orotyos is composed; hence), any first thing, from which the others belonging to some series or composite whole take their rise; an element, first principle. The word denotes spec. 1. the letters of the alphabet as the elements of speech, not however the written characters (which are called γράμματα), but the spoken sounds: στοιχεῖον φωνῆς φωνὴ ἀσύνθετος, Plat. defin. p. 414e.; τὸ ῥῶ τὸ στοιχεῖον, id. Crat. p. 420 d.; στοιχεῖόν ἐστι φωνὴ ἀδιαίρετος, ov πᾶσα δέ, GAN ἐξ ἧς πέφυκε συνετὴ γίγνεσθαι φωνή, Aristot. poet. 20, p. 1496, 22. 2. the elements from which all things have come, the material causes of the universe (ἔστι δὲ στοιχεῖον, ἐξ οὗ πρώτου γίνεται τὰ γινόμενα καὶ εἰς ὃ ἔσχατον ἀναλύεται νος τὸ πῦρ. τὸ ὕδωρ, ὁ ἀήρ, ἡ γῆ, Diog. Laért. Zeno 69, 137); so very often fr. Plat. down, as in Tim. p. 48 b.; in the Scriptures: Sap. vii. 17; xix. 17; 2 Pet. ili. 10, 12. 3. the heavenly bodies, either as parts of the heavens, or (as others think) because in them the elements of man’s life and destiny were supposed to reside; so in the earlier eccles. writ.: Ep. ad Diogn. 7, 2; Justin. M. dial. c. Tryph. 23; τὰ οὐράνια στοιχεῖα, id. apol. 2, 5; στοιχεῖα θεοῦ, created by God, Theoph. Ant. ad Autol. 1,4; cf. Hilgenfeld, Galaterbrief, pp. 66-77. Hence some interpreters infelicitously understand Paul’s phrase τὰ στοιχεῖα τοῦ κόσμου, Gal. iv. 8, 9; Col. ii. 8, 20, of the heavenly bodies, because times and seasons, and so sacred seasons, were regulated by the course of the sun and moon; yet in unfolding the meaning of the passage on the basis of this sense they differ widely. 4. the elements, rudiments, primary and fundamental principles (cf. our ‘alphabet’ or ‘a b 6} of any art, science, or discipline; 6. g. of mathematics, as in the title of Enclid’s well-known work; στοιχεῖα πρῶτα καὶ μέγιστα χρηστῆς πολιτείας, Isocr. p. 18 ἃ.: τῆς ἀρετῆς, Plut.de puer. educ. 16, 2; many exx. are given in Passow 8. Υ. 4, ii. p. 1550"; [ef. L. and S. 5. v. Il. 3 and 4]. In the N. T. we have τὰ στ. τῆς ἀρχῆς τῶν λογίων τοῦ θεοῦ (see ἀρχή, 1 b. p. 76” bot.), Heb. ν. 12, such as are taught to νήπιοι, ib. 18; τὰ στοιχεῖα τοῦ κόσμου, the rudiments with which mankind like νήπιοι were indoctrinated before the time of Christ, i.e. the elements of religious training, or the ceremonial precepts common alike to the worship of Jews and of Gentiles, Gal. iv. 3, 9, (and since these requirements on account of the difficulty of observing them are to be regarded as a yoke —cf. Acts xv. 10; Gal. y. 1 —those who rely upon them are said to be δεδουλωμένοι ὑπὸ τὰ or.); spec. the ceremonial requirements esp. of Jewish tradition, minutely set forth by theosophists and false teachers, and fortified by specious arguments, Col. ii. 8, 20. cussed by Schneckenburger in the Theolog. Jahrbiicher for 1848, Pt. iv. p. 445 sqq.; Meander in the Deutsche Zeitschrift ἢ. Christl. Wissenschaft for 1850, p. 205 sqq-; Kienlen in Reuss u. Cunitz’s Beitrage zu d. theolog. Wissenschaften, vol. ii. p. 133 sqq.; 2. Schaubach, Comment. qua exponitur quid στοιχεῖα τοῦ κόσμου in N. T. sibi velint. (Meining. 1862).
Mounce Concise Greek Dictionary
στοιχεῖον stoicheion 7x
an element; an element of the natural universe, 2 Pet. 3:10, 12; an element or rudiment of any intellectual or religious system, Gal. 4:3, 9; Col. 2:8, 20; Heb. 5:12*
Abbott-Smith Greek Lexicon
** στοιχεῖον, -ου, τό
[in LXX: Wi 7:17 19:18, IV Mac 12:13 * ;]
prop., one of a row (στοῖχος) or series, hence,
the shadow-line of a dial (Aristoph.).
an elementary sound or letter of the alphabet (Anth., Plut., π.).
the elements or rudiments of knowledge (Arist., al.) He 5:12; πτωχὰ σ., Ga 4:9; σ. τοῦ κόσμου, ib. 3, Col 2:8, 20 (but v. infr.).
The material elements of the universe (Plat.; LXX, ll. c.): II Pe 3:10, 12.
The heavenly bodies (Diog. Laert.).
The demons or tutelary spirits of nature (Enoch., Test., Sol., al.; for this sense in Ga, Col, ll. c., v. ICC on Col 2:8; Enc. Bibl., s.v. " Elements ").†
Moulton & Milligan — Vocabulary of the Greek NT
στοιχεῖον. It is not possible to trace here in detail the history of this interesting word. The utmost that can be attempted is to indicate some of its varied meanings, especially those which throw light on its NT occurrences. The root meaning starts from στοῖχος, a ‘‘row” or “‘rank,”’ and from this the word passes to denote sounds which can be arranged in a series such as the letters of the alphabet: cf. BGU III. 959? (a.p. 148) στοιχί(είου) € κολ(λήματος) if, and see P Par 631° (B.C. 164) στοιχειωδῶς, “letter by letter.” Cf. Avth. Pal. ix. 547 (like Nos. 538, 539) to which Mr. H. Lang Jones kindly refers us, nonsense verses containing all the letters of the Greek alphabet— AAHAON Ta εἴκοσι τέσσαρα στοιχεῖα Τρηχὺν δ᾽ ὑπερβὰς φραγμὸν ἐξήνθιζε κλώψ. From this it is an easy transition to the thought of ‘elementary principles,’’ the ABC of a science, as in Heb 51°, and in this connexion attention has been drawn to Porphyry ad Marcel/am c. 24, where the iii/a.p. Neoplatonist writes—téocapa στοιχεῖα μάλιστα κεκρατύνθω περὶ θεοῦ" πίστις, ἀλήθεια, ἔρως, ἐλπίς (cf. 1 Cor 1313). The meaning of ‘‘the primary constituent elements” of the universe (cf. Suid.: στοιχεῖόν ἐστιν ἐξ οὗ πρώτου γίνεται τὰ γινόμενα καὶ εἰς ὃ ἔσχατον ἀναλύεται) which occurs in Sap 717, 1918, 4 Macc 1218, is frequently found in 2 Pet 31°13, where the translation ‘‘elements’’ gives excellent sense. But M. R. James (CGT ad /.) prefers the rendering “luminaries,” with which we may associate the word as an astrological term in P Lond 130° (i/ii A.D.) (=I. p. 134) στοιχείωι Διός : cf. Diog. Laert. vi. 102 τὰ δώδεκα στοιχεῖα, the signs of the Zodiac. In this connexion, by the courtesy of Dr. Darwell Stone, we have been provided with a long list of passages from Patristic writers where, in addition to other uses, τὰ στοιχεῖα is applied to heavenly bodies, and to the planets in particular. The following exx. must suffice—Just. M. 4f. 2. 5. 2 τὰ οὐράνια στοιχεῖα εἰς ἀὔξησιν καρπῶν καὶ ὡρῶν κτλ., Ep. ad Diogn. 7. 2 οὗ τὰ μυστήρια πιστῶς πάντα φυλάσσει τὰ στοιχεῖα (mentioned after the heavens and the sea, before sun, moon, stars), Epiph. adv. Haer. 7 ἥλιον καὶ σελήνην kal τὰ ἄλλα ἄστρα καὶ τὰ κατ᾽ οὐρανὸν στοιχεῖα, and the metaphorical application to distinguished men, “great lights,” in Polycrates afud Eus. H.E. v. 24. 2 μεγάλα στοιχεῖα κεκοίμηται, implying a literal use for sun or moon or planet. Reference may also be made to Mr. F. H. Colson’s Essay on ‘‘The Week” (Cambridge University Press, 1926), in which he suggests that the στοιχεῖα of Gal 43 and Col 25 may refer to the ‘‘seven planets,” from which the days of the week are named (p. 95 ff.), and to A, Dieterich drvaxas (Leipzig, 1891) p. 60 ff, where there is an interesting statement regarding the application of στοιχεῖα to the physical elements in the magical papyri and the Orphic hymns, leading on to its application to the rulers and the gods. In 7715 xxviii. (1927), p- δι ἢ ΝΥ. Η. P. Hatch refers to four passages in a Syriac work entitled Ze Book of the Laws of the Countries, commonly Parr VII.
Liddell-Scott-Jones — Greek-English Lexicon
στοιχεῖον (stoicheion) — principle. στοιχεῖον, τό:
I. in a form of sun-dial, the shadow of the gnomon, the length of which in feet indicated the time of day, ὅταν ᾖ δεκάπουν τὸ σ. when the shadow is ten feet long, [Refs 5th c.BC+], see [Refs 4th c.BC+]
II. element,
II.1. a simple sound of speech, as the first component of the syllable, [Refs 5th c.BC+]; τὸ ῥῶ τὸ σ[Refs 4th c.BC+] —στοιχεῖα therefore, strictly, were different from letters (γράμματα), [Refs 2nd c.BC+], but are frequently not clearly distinguished from them, as by [Refs 5th c.BC+]; σ. ε ¯ letter ε (in a filing-system), [Refs 2nd c.AD+]; ἀκουόμενα σ. letters which are pronounced, [Refs 2nd c.AD+]; γράμματα and ς. are expressly identified by [Refs 2nd c.BC+]; the ς. and its name are confused by [Refs 2nd c.BC+] — κατὰ στοιχεῖον in the order of the letters, alphabetically, [Refs 1st c.AD+]
II.2. in Physics, στοιχεῖα were the components into which matter is ultimately divisible, elements, reduced to four by Empedocles, who called them ῥιζὤματα, the word στοιχεῖα being first used (accusative to [Refs 5th c.BC+], τὰ πρῶτα οἱονπερεὶ σ, ἐξ ὧν ἡμεῖς τε συγκείμεθα καὶ τἄλλα [Refs]; τὰ τῶν πάντων σ. [Refs 4th c.BC+]; ἄτομα σ. [Refs 4th c.BC+]; equivalent to ἀρχαί, Thales cited in [Refs 6th c.BC+] also distinguishes ς. from ἀρχή as less comprehensive, [Refs]; τὰ σ. ὕλη τῆς οὐσίας [Refs]; τρία τὰ σ. [Refs]; distinguished from ἀρχή on other grounds by [Refs]; ς. used in three senses by Chrysipp., [Refs]; in Medicine, [Refs 2nd c.AD+]; ἀνηλεὲς σ., of the sea, [Refs 2nd c.AD+]; τὸ σ., of the sea, [Refs 1st c.AD+]; ἄμφω τὰ σ., i.e. land and sea,[Refs 2nd c.AD+]
II.3. the elements of proof, e.g. in general reasoning the πρῶτοι συλλογισμοί, [Refs 4th c.BC+]; in Geometry, the propositions whose proof is involved in the proof of other propositions,[Refs]; title of geometrical works by Hippocrates of Chios, Leon, Theudios, and Euclid, [Refs 5th c.AD+]: hence applied to whatever is one, small, and capable of many uses, [Refs 4th c.BC+]; to whatever is most universal, e.g. the unit and the point,[Refs]; the line and the circle, [Refs]; τὸ νόμισμα σ. καὶ πέρας τῆς ἀλλαγῆς coin is the unit.. of exchange, [Refs]; in Grammar, σ. τῆς λέξεως parts of speech, [Refs 1st c.BC+]; but also, the letters composing a word, [Refs 2nd c.AD+]; letters of the alphabet, [Refs 4th c.BC+]; σ. τοῦ λόγου the elements of speech, i.e. words, or the kinds of words, parts of speech, [Refs 4th c.BC+]
II.4. generally, elementary or fundamental principle, ἀρξάμενοι ἀπὸ τῶν σ. [Refs 5th c.BC+]; τὸ πολλάκις εἰρημένον μέγιστον σ. [Refs 4th c.BC+]
II.5. ἄστρων στοιχεῖα the stars, [NT+4th c.AD+]; especially planets, στοιχείῳ Διός [Refs 1st c.AD+]; so perhaps in [NT]; especially a sign of the Zodiac, [Refs 3rd c.AD+]; of the Great Bear, [Refs]
II.6. σ. ={ἀριθμός}, as etymology of Στοιχαδεύς, Scholia 2nd c.BC: Dionysius Thrax Grammaticus p.192 H.