Quick Definition
ὕσσωπος, ου, ἡ n.m. hyssop
Strong's Definition
of foreign origin (231); "hyssop"
KJV Usage: hyssop
UBS Dictionary of the Greek New Testament
noun, m./f. | -ου; ὕσσωπον
3.26 · Plants · Plants That Are Not Trees
hyssop small aromatic bush with a shrub-like base and stems which are stiff, many-branched, hairy, and strong, 50–80 cm tall; Origanum syriacum or Majorana syriaca; used by the Jews in the ritual purification process as a sprinkling brush The hyssop bush may reach a height of one meter (three feet) and has a number of woody stems.
In some translations a term for ‘hyssop’ is borrowed with a classifier such as ‘plant,’ for example, ‘a branch of a plant called hyssop.’
In JHN 19:29 some translators have simply used ‘a twig’ or ‘a branch,’ but this may not be adequate, since some persons see a good deal of symbolism in the use of the term ‘hyssop’ because of its relationship to ritual uses in the OT.
According to an old conjecture, the text of JHN 19:29 could have contained the term ὑσσός ‘javelin’ (6.35) rather than ὕσσωπος ‘hyssop’ (this reading is actually found in one eleventh century minuscule manuscript), and this has been followed by the NEB translation (“they soaked a sponge with the wine, fixed it on a javelin ...”), but this form of the text has very little support and is not recommended.
UBS Dictionary of the Greek New Testament © United Bible Societies, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0.
Thayer's Greek Lexicon
ὕσσωπος [on the breathing see WH. App. p. 144; Lehm. (in both his edd.) spells it with one o in Jn.], του, ἡ, (Hebr. aii, Ex. xii. 22; Num. xix. 6, 18, ete.), hyssop, a plant a bunch of which was used by the Hebrews in their ritual sprinklings: Heb. ix. 19; ὑσσώπῳ, i. 4. καλάμῳ ὑσσώπου, Jn. xix. 29. Cf. Win. RWB.s. ν. Ysop; Arnold in Herzog xviii. p. 337sq.; Furrer in Schenkel ν. 685 sq.; [Riehm p. 1771 sq.; Léw, Aram. Pflanzennamen, § 93; Tristram, Nat. Hist. ete. p. 455 sq-; B.D.s. v. (esp. Am. ed.) ].
Mounce Concise Greek Dictionary
ὕσσωπος hyssōpos 2x
hyssop, in NT, however, not the plant usually so named, but probably the caper plant; a bunch of hyssop, Heb. 9:19; a hyssop stalk, Jn. 19:29*
Abbott-Smith Greek Lexicon
† ὕσσωπος, -ου, ἡ
[in LXX for אֵזוֹב ;]
hyssop, of which a bunch was used in ritual sprinklings: He 9:19; of a branch or rod (?) of hyssop, Jo 19:29 (but v. Field, Notes, 106 ff., for suggestion to substitute ὑσσῷ here).†
Moulton & Milligan — Vocabulary of the Greek NT
ὕσσωπος, ὁ and ἡ (cf. Thackeray G7. i. p. 146). In P Cairo Goodsp 30 1.8. (A.D. 191-2) ἱσσύπου (/. ὑσσώπου) (τετρώβολον) the editor translates ‘‘ caper plant”: cf. Heb 919. In Jn 1929 ὑσσώπῳ is probably a graphic error for too, ‘‘a pike,” ‘‘a javelin”: see Field (Votes, p- 106 ff. [Ὁ ’
Liddell-Scott-Jones — Greek-English Lexicon
ὕσσωπος (hussōpos) — hyssop. ὕσσωπος, ἡ, hyssop, Origanum hirtum, Hebrew 'ēzōb, [NT+5th c.BC+]:—also ὕσσωπον, τό, [Refs 1st c.AD+]; compare ὑσωπίς. (Written ὑσω- in [Refs 1st c.AD+] [same places] (hyso-), [NT+2nd c.AD+]; ὑσσω- in [Refs] and frequently in codices; ὑσσ- is a long syllable in [Refs 2nd c.BC+] [same places]; genitive written ἱσσύπου in [Refs 2nd c.AD+]