Quick Definition
ταπεινός, ή, όν Adj humble, lowly
Strong's Definition
of uncertain derivation; depressed, i.e. (figuratively) humiliated (in circumstances or disposition)
KJV Usage: base, cast down, humble, of low degree (estate), lowly
UBS Dictionary of the Greek New Testament
adjc. | -ή, -όν | ταπεινόω
25.295 · Attitudes and Emotions · Discouragement
dejected, downheearted, downcast (compare ταπεινός[c] ‘of low status,’ 87.61) pertaining to being discouraged and lacking in hope, with the possible implication of some association with low social status
88.52 · Moral and Ethical Qualities and Related Behavior · Humility
humble pertaining to being unpretentious in one’s behavior In some languages the expression ‘humble in spirit’ or ‘humble in heart’ may be expressed as ‘speaking only soft words’ or ‘without shouting at others.’
87.61 · Status · Low Status or Rank [including persons of low status]
lowly, humble pertaining to having low and humble status
88.64 · Moral and Ethical Qualities and Related Behavior · Gentleness, Mildness
gentle, meek and mild pertaining to being meek, with the implication of low status
UBS Dictionary of the Greek New Testament © United Bible Societies, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0.
Thayer's Greek Lexicon
ταπεινός, -7), -όν, fr. [Pind.], Aeschyl., Hdt. down, Sept. for Ὃν, Ὁ), DEY, etc., low, i.e. a. prop. not rising far from the ground: Ezek. xvii. 24. b. metaph. a. as to condition, lowly, of low degree: with a subst. Jas. i. 9; substantively of ταπεινοί, opp. to δυνάσται, Lk. i. 52; i.g. brought low with grief, depressed, (Sir. xxv. 23), 2 Co. vii. 6. Neut. τὰ ταπεινά, Ro. xii. 16 (on which see συναπάγω, fin.). B. lowly in spirit, humble: opp. to ὑπερήφανος, Jas. iv. 6; 1 Pet. v. ὃ (fr. Prov. iii. 34) ; with τῇ καρδίᾳ added, Mt. xi. 29 (τῷ πνεύματι, Ps. xxxiii. (xxxiv.) 19); in a bad sense, deporting one’s self abjectly, deferring servilely to others, (Xen. mem. 3, 10, 5; Plat. legg. 6 p. 774 c.; often in Isocr.), 2 Co. x. 1. (Cf. reff. 5. v. ταπεινοφροσύνη, fin. ]
Mounce Concise Greek Dictionary
ταπεινός tapeinos 8x
low in situation; of condition, humble, poor, mean, depressed, Lk. 1:52; 2 Cor. 7:6; Jas. 1:9; met. of the mind, humble, lowly, modest, Mt. 11:29; Rom. 12:16; 2 Cor. 10:1; Jas. 4:6; 1 Pet. 5:5*
Abbott-Smith Greek Lexicon
ταπεινός, -ή, -όν
[in LXX for שָׁפָל, עָנִי, עָנָי, etc. ;]
low-lying; metaph.,
lowly, of low degree, brought low: Ja 1:9, II Co 7:6 (cf. Si 25:23); οἱ τ., opp. to δυνάσται, Lk 1:52; τ. ταπεινοῖς (neut., R, txt.; masc., R, mg.; v. ICC, in l.), Ro 12:16;
lowly in spirit, humble, in cl. usually in a slighting sense (v. Tr., Syn., § xlii; but v. also Abbott, Essays, 81), in NT in an honourable sense: II Co 10:1; seq. τ. καρδίᾳ, Mt 11:29 (cf. Ps 33 (34):19); opp. to ὑπερήφανος, Ja 4:6, I Pe 5:5 (LXX).†
Moulton & Milligan — Vocabulary of the Greek NT
ταπεινός. On the verso of P Oxy I. 79 (notification of death—a.p. 181-192) certain moral precepts have been written in a rude
Liddell-Scott-Jones — Greek-English Lexicon
ταπεινός (tapeinos) — lowly. τᾰπεινός, ή, όν, low:
1. of Place, low-lying, χώρη [Refs 5th c.BC+]; νῆσος [Refs 1st c.BC+]; ταπεινὰ νέμεσθαι to live in low regions, [Refs 5th c.BC+]; of stature or size, low, ὀστᾶ [Refs 5th c.BC+]; of position in the body, τὰ τ. τοῦ θώρακος [Refs 2nd c.AD+]; of a river, low, opposed to μέγας, [Refs 2nd c.BC+]; of stars, low, i.e. near the horizon, [Refs 2nd c.AD+]; but also, near the earth, [Refs]; of the sun, opposed to ὑψηλός, [Refs 2nd c.AD+]; λοξὸς καὶ τ. [Refs 2nd c.AD+]
2. of persons, humbled, abased in power, pride, etc., [Refs 5th c.BC+]; σὺ δ᾽ οὐδέπω τ. [Refs 5th c.BC+]; submissive, [Refs 5th c.BC+]; αἱ τ. τῶν πόλεων small, poor, weak, [Refs 5th c.BC+]; τ. δύναμις [Refs 4th c.BC+]; of low intelligence, αἱ τῶν ἀσυνέτων καὶ τ. ἀνθρώπων ψυχαί [Refs 2nd c.AD+] adverb, ταπεινῶς (or ταπεινὰ) πράττειν to be in low estate or obscurity, [Refs 5th c.BC+]
3. of the spirits, downcast, dejected, διάνοια [Refs 5th c.BC+]
4. in moral sense, either bad, mean, base, abject, τ. καὶ ἀνελεύθερος [Refs 5th c.BC+]; or good, lowly, humble, [Refs 5th c.BC+], frequently in NT, [NT]
5. of things, mean, low, poor, τ. καὶ ἄπορος δίαιτα [Refs 5th c.BC+]: superlative, -οτάτη περίστασις [Refs 1st c.AD+]; θεωρία -οτέρα, opposed to τιμιωτέρα, [Refs 4th c.BC+]; of style, low, poor, τ. λέξις, opposed to κεκοσμημένη, [Refs] adverb, -νῶς λέγειν in a submissive manner, [Refs]