Quick Definition
ταπεινόω v. I humble, humiliate
Strong's Definition
from 5011; to depress; figuratively, to humiliate (in condition or heart)
KJV Usage: abase, bring low, humble (self)
UBS Dictionary of the Greek New Testament
verb | ταπεινός · ταπεινοφροσύνη · ταπεινόφρων · ταπείνωσις
81.7 · Spacial Dimensions · High, Low, Deep
to make low to cause something to become low in height For another (probably preferred) interpretation of LUK 3:5, see 79.87.
79.87 · Features of Objects · Uneven [Rough], Level [Smooth]
to level off, to make level to cause something to become level One might argue that ταπεινόω in LUK 3:5 is to be understood as ‘to be brought low,’ but in contrast with πληρωθήσεται, which refers to filling up valleys, ταπεινωθήσεται should perhaps be understood as referring to ‘leveling off’ mountains and hills. For this other interpretation of ταπεινόω in LUK 3:5, see 81.7.
87.62 · Status · Low Status or Rank [including persons of low status]
to make humble, to bring down low to cause someone to be in a low status
88.56 · Moral and Ethical Qualities and Related Behavior · Humility
to make humble, to humble (derivative of ταπεινός[b] ‘humble,’ 88.52) to cause someone to be or to become humble A strictly literal rendering of ‘he who humbles himself’ could be misunderstood as ‘one who despises himself’ or ‘one who has no regard for himself.’ In the context of MAT 18:4 it is often important to use an idiomatic expression which will adequately convey the meaning, for example, ‘one who causes his heart to bow down’ or even ‘one who makes his heart small.’
25.198 · Attitudes and Emotions · Shame, Disgrace, Humiliation
to humiliate, to put to shame to cause someone to become disgraced and humiliated, with the implication of embarrassment and shame
87.63 · (ταπεινόομαι) · Status · Low Status or Rank [including persons of low status]
to live in humble circumstances, to live like those of low status to live in circumstances regarded as characteristic of low status In a number of languages ταπεινόομαι in PHP 4:12 may be rendered as ‘to live like poor people.’
LUK 3:5 · LUK 14:11 · LUK 14:11 · LUK 18:14 · LUK 18:14 · PHP 4:12
UBS Dictionary of the Greek New Testament © United Bible Societies, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0.
Thayer's Greek Lexicon
ταπεινόω, -ὥ ; fut. ταπεινώσω ; 1 aor. ἐταπείνωσα ; Pass., pres. ταπεινοῦμαι; 1 aor. ἐταπεινώθην; 1 fut. ταπεινωθήσομαι; (ταπεινός); to make low, bring low, (Vulg. humilio) ; a. prop.: ὄρος, βουνόν, i.e. to level, reduce to a plain, pass. Lk. iii. 5 fr. Is. xl. 4. b. metaph. to bring into a humble condition, reduce to meaner circumstances ; i. 6. a. to assign a lower rank or place to ; to abase ; τινά, pass., to be ranked below others who are honored or rewarded [R. V. to humble]: Mt. xxiii. 12; Lk. xiv. 11; xviii. 14. B. ταπεινῶ ἐμαυτόν, to humble or abase myself, by frugal living, 2 Co. xi. 7; in pass. of one who submits to want, Phil. iv. 12; ἑαυτόν, of one who stoops to the condition of a servant, Phil. ii. 8. c. to lower, depress, [Eng. humble]: τινά, one’s soul, bring down one’s pride ; ἐμαυτόν, to have a modest opinion of one’s self, to behave in an unassuming manner devoid of all haughtiness, Mt. xviii. 4; xxiii. 12; Lk. xiv. 11; xviii. 14; pass. ταπεινοῦμαι ἑνώπιον κυρίου (see ἐνώπιον, 2 b. fin.) in a mid. sense [B. 52 (46)], to confess and deplore one’s spiritual littleness and unworthiness, Jas. iv. 10 (in the same sense ταπεινοῦν τὴν ψυχὴν αὐτοῦ, Sir. ii. 17; vii. 17; Sept. for 152) 720, he afflicted his soul, of persons fasting, Lev. xvi. 29, 31; xxiii. 27, 32; Is. lviii. 8, 5, 10; τὴν ψυχήν τινος, to disturb, distress, the soul of one, Protev. Jac. c. 2. 13. 15 [rather, to humiliate ; see the passages]); ὑπὸ τὴν χεῖρα τ. θεοῦ, to submit one’s self in a lowly spirit to the power and will of God, 1 Pet. v. 6 (cf. Gen. xvi. 9) ; 1. ᾳ. to put to the blush, 2 Co. xii. 21. ([{Hippocr.], Xen., Plat., Diod., Plut.; Sept. for mp, Daw and S*aviq, ΝΞ, WISN, etc.) [See reff. s. v. ταπεινοφροσύνη. | * j ,
Mounce Concise Greek Dictionary
ταπεινόω tapeinoō 14x
to bring low, depress, level, Lk. 3:5; met. to humble, abase, Phil. 2:8; mid. to descend to, or live in, a humble condition, 2 Cor. 11:7; Phil. 4:12; to humble, depress the pride of, any one, Mt. 18:4; mid. to humble one’s self, exhibit humility and contrition, Jas. 4:10; 1 Pet. 5:6; to humble with respect to hopes and expectations, to depress with disappointment, Mt. 23:12; Lk. 14:11; 18:14; 2 Cor. 12:21*
Abbott-Smith Greek Lexicon
ταπεινόω, -ῶ
(< ταπεινός), [in LXX chiefly for עָנָה, also for שָׁפֵל, כָּנַע, etc. ;]
to make low: ὄρος (βουνόν), Lk 3:5 (LXX). Metaph., to humble, abase: Mt 18:4 23:12, Lk 14:11 18:14, II Co 11:7 12:21, Phl 2:8; pass., Mt 23:12, Lk 14:11 18:14, Phl 4:12; id. with mid. sense, Ja 4:10, I Pe 5:6.†
Moulton & Milligan — Vocabulary of the Greek NT
ταπεινόω, “‘make low,” is generally used metaphorically in the NT = ‘“‘humble.” By way of illustration we may again refer to the Jewish prayers cited s.v. ταλαίπωρος, where it is said with regard to God, 198. ὧι πᾶσα ψυχὴ ἐν τῇ σήμερον ἡμέραι ταπεινοῦτα[ι] μεθ᾽ ἱκετείας, a phrase strikingly recalling Lev 23°°, and pointing, according to Deissmann LAE? p. 419, to a day not only of prayer, but of fasting. The literal sense of the verb (cf. Lk 3° LXX) comes out well in Diod. i. 36 καθ᾽ ἡμέραν. ταπεινοῦται, with reference to the ‘‘ falling” of the Nile: it ‘runs low.
Liddell-Scott-Jones — Greek-English Lexicon
ταπεινόω (tapeinoō) — to humble. τᾰπειν-όω, lower, in point of height, reduce, σπλῆνα (swollen spleen) [Refs 1st c.AD+]:—passive, πᾶν ὄρος ταπεινωθήσεται [LXX+5th c.BC+]; of a plant, decrease in size, [Refs 4th c.BC+]; of rivers, [Refs 1st c.BC+]; Astrology texts, of a planet, suffer dejection, [Refs 2nd c.AD+]
II. metaphorically, lessen, τὸν φθόνον [Refs 5th c.BC+]; disparage, minimize, [Refs 2nd c.BC+]:—passive, to be lowered or lessened, [Refs 5th c.BC+]
II.2. humble, abase, [Refs 5th c.BC+]:—passive, ταπεινωθεὶς ἕπεται [Refs 5th c.BC+]
II.2. b violate a woman, [LXX]
II.3. in moral sense, make lowly, humble, ἑαυτόν [NT+1st c.BC+]:—passive, humble oneself, τὴν θεὸν ἐξιλάσαντο τῷ ταπεινοῦσθαι σφόδρα [NT+4th c.BC+]
II.4. especially of fasting or abstinence, θεοῦ ᾧ πᾶσα ψυχὴ ἐν τῇ σήμερον ἡμέρᾳ (i.e. on a fast-day) ταπεινοῦται μεθ᾽ ἱκετείας [Refs 2nd c.AD+]; ἐὰν ψυχὴν τεταπεινωμένην ἐμπλήσῃς feed the hungry, [LXX]; οἶδα ταπεινοῦσθαι, opposed to περισσεύειν, [NT]