Quick Definition
συνήθεια, ας, ἡ n.f. a custom, habit
Strong's Definition
from a compound of 4862 and 2239; mutual habituation, i.e. usage
KJV Usage: custom
UBS Dictionary of the Greek New Testament
noun, f. | -ας | ἐθίζω
41.25 · Behavior and Related States · Custom, Tradition
custom, habit a pattern of behavior more or less fixed by tradition and generally sanctioned by the society In a number of languages there is no noun for ‘custom’ or ‘habit,’ but the same meaning is communicated by verbal aspects or adverbial phrases indicating habitual action. For example, in the case of JHN 19:40 one may translate in some languages ‘as is the way in which Jews always bury people,’ and for 1CO 11:16 one may translate ‘this is not what we constantly do.’
UBS Dictionary of the Greek New Testament © United Bible Societies, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0.
Thayer's Greek Lexicon
συνήθεια, -as, ἡ, (συνηθής, and this fr. σύν and 960s), fr. Isocr., Xen., Plat. down, Lat. consuetudo, i. 6. 1. in ltercourse (with one), intimacy: 4 Mace. xiii. 21. 2. custom: Jn. xviii. 39 [ef. B. $139, 45]; 1 Co. xi. 16. 3. a being used to: with a gen. of the object to which one is accustomed, 1 Co. viii. 7 L T Tr ΜῊ.
Mounce Concise Greek Dictionary
συνήθεια synētheia 3x
use, custom; an established custom, practice, Jn. 18:39; 1 Cor. 8:7; 11:16*
Abbott-Smith Greek Lexicon
** συνήθεια, -ας, ἡ
(< ἦθος), [in LXX: IV Mac 2:12 6:13 13:22, 27 * ;]
intimacy.
habit, custom: Jo 18:39, I Co 11:16; c. gen. obj. (cf. Æschin., 23, 37, and v. MM, xxiv), habitual use, force of habit with respect to, I Co 8:7.†
Moulton & Milligan — Vocabulary of the Greek NT
συνήθεια (1) ‘‘intimacy,” “friendship,” as in 4 Macc 2! a/., P Cairo Zen I. 590427 (B.c. 257) ᾿Αλέξανδρος... οἰκεῖος καὶ αὐτῶι δέ μίοί εἰσι συ]νήθειαι, P Amh 11. 1459 (iv/v A.D.) τὸ γνωστὸν τῆς πρὸς ἀλ[λήλο]υς συνηθείας, “the knowledge of our intimacy.” (2) “habit,” ‘‘custom,” as in Jn 1839, P Fay 11814 (A.D. 110) ots ἔχομον συνήθιαν πέμπιν, “for the persons we are accustomed to send them to” (Edd.), P Tebt II. 2875 (A.D. 161-90) kata τὸν [yv]épova καὶ τὴν συνήθειαν. “according to tariff and custom” (Edd.), 7. 376)” (A.D. 162) ἀκολούθως τῇ τῶν ἀρουρῶν [συν]ηθείᾳ, ‘in accordance with the custom of the land,’ P Fay 341 (A.D. 161) τὴν τῶν προτέρων ἐτῶν συνήθειαν, and Sy/Z 418(= *888)!4 (A.p, 238) κατωλιγωρήθη διὰ τὴν συνήθειαν τῆς τοιαύτης ἐνοχλήσεως. Cf. PSI I. 508 (ἵν ν Α.Ὁ.} κατὰ συνήθι[αἹν. For a technical use of συνήθειαι to denote ““ customary gifts” to officials, see Chrest. I. 283 (vi/a.D.) and the numerous citations in Preisigke /Vorterd. s.v. A few exx. may be given of the adj. συνήθης--Ρ Tebt 11. 29417 (A.D. 146) ταῖς συνήθεσι προθεσμίαις, ‘at the accustomed dates,” P Oxy XIV. 16921! (a.p. 188) μεταφορὰ τούτου eis τὸν συνήθη τόπον, P Fay 38% (iii/iv a.p.) φροντίσατε ἐξαυτῆς τὴν συνήθη παραφυλακὴν γείνεσθαι, “see that you at once provide the necessary guard,” and Kaibel 1002? ὡς συνήθεις kal φίλους ἠσπάζετο. For the adv. see P Amh II. 7o' 8 (¢. Α.Ὁ. 115) τὸ συνήθω[ς} διδόμ[ε]ν[ο]ν.
Liddell-Scott-Jones — Greek-English Lexicon
συνήθεια (sunētheia) — custom. συνήθεια, ἡ, habitual intercourse, acquaintance, intimacy, αἱ πρὸς ἀλλήλους σ. [Refs 5th c.BC+]; ἡ πολιτικὴ σ. [Refs 5th c.BC+]; καὶ αὐτῷ δέ μοί εἰσι σ. [Refs 3rd c.BC+]; ὢν ἡμῖν ἐν συνηθείᾳ [Refs 3rd c.BC+] __b sexual intercourse, [Refs 5th c.BC+]
2. of animals, herding together, [Refs 4th c.BC+]; νέμεσθαι κατὰ συνηθείας in herds,[Refs 2nd c.AD+]; so of soldiers, κατὰ συνηθείας in messes, [Refs 2nd c.BC+]
II. habit, custom, [Refs 5th c.BC+]; plural, φαῦλαι σ. bad habits, [Refs 5th c.BC+]; ἐν τοῖς ἤθεσι τοῖς τῆς ἑαυτοῦ συνηθείας in his own accustomed haunts, [Refs]; ἡ σ. τοῦ ἔργου habituation to it, [Refs 5th c.BC+]; τῇ σ. τοῦ εἰδώλου by being used to it, [NT]; practice, [Refs 5th c.BC+]; διὰ τὴν σ. [Refs 4th c.BC+]; κατὰ σ. [Refs 5th c.BC+]; σ. ἔχειν τῇ πολιτείᾳ to be used to it, practised in it, [Refs 2nd c.BC+]
II.2. the customary usage of language, ἐκ σ. ῥημάτων καὶ ὀνομάτων [Refs 5th c.BC+]; εἰς συνήθειαν ἐποίησε τοῦ λόγου τούτου τὴν πόλιν καταστῆναι brought the city to habitual use of this phrase, [Refs 4th c.BC+]; ἡ σ. τῶν Ἑλλήνων, αἱ κατὰ τὰς διαλέκτους σ., [Refs 5th c.BC+]; ἐν τῇ τεχνικῇ καὶ μὴ εἰκαίᾳ σ. [Refs 5th c.BC+]: absolutely, ordinary language, ἐν τῇ σ. [Refs 1st c.AD+]; κατὰ τὴν σ. [Refs 4th c.BC+]
III. customary gratuity, [Refs 3rd c.AD+]: plural, perquisites, [Refs 4th c.AD+]