Quick Definition
χειροτονέω v. I choose by vote, appoint
Strong's Definition
to be a hand-reacher or voter (by raising the hand), i.e. (generally) to select or appoint
Derivation: from a comparative of G5495 (χείρ) and (to stretch);
KJV Usage: choose, ordain
UBS Dictionary of the Greek New Testament
verb | χείρ + τείνω
30.101 · Think · To Choose, To Select, To Prefer
to choose, to elect, to select to choose or select, presumably by a group and possibly by the actual raising of the hand
UBS Dictionary of the Greek New Testament © United Bible Societies, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0.
Thayer's Greek Lexicon
χειρο-τονέω, -@: 1 aor. ptep. χειροτονήσας ; 1 aor. pass. ptep. χειροτονηθείς; (fr. χειροτόνος extending the hand, and this fr. χείρ and τείνω) ; fr. [Arstph.], Xen., Plat., Isoer. down; a. prop. 10 vote by stretching out the hand (cf. Xen. an. 3, 2, 33 ὅτῳ δοκεῖ ταῦτα, ἀνατεινάτω τὴν χεῖρα: ἀνέτειναν ἅπαντες). b. fo create or appoint by vote: τινά, one to have charge of some office or duty, pass. 2 Co. viii. 19, and in the spurious subscriptions in 2)Tim. iv. 23: Vite in. 15. c. with the loss of the notion of extending the hand, to elect, appoint, create: twa, Acts xiv. 23 (see exx. fr. the Grk. writ. in Passow S. Vv. p. 2440"; χειροτονεῖσθαι ὑπὸ θεοῦ βασιλέα, Philo de praem. et poen. ὃ ὃ; [βασιλέως ὕπαρχος ἐχειροτονεῖτο, de Joseph. § 41]; Joseph. antt. 6, 4, 2: [7, 11,1; of the choice of Jon. as high-priest, 13, 2,2; ef. Hatch in Dict. of Chris. Antiq. s. v. Ordination, p. 1501; Harnack on ‘Teaching’ etc. 15,1]). [Comp.: mpo-xetporovew. ]
Mounce Concise Greek Dictionary
χειροτονέω cheirotoneō 2x
to stretch out the hand; to constitute by voting; to appoint, constitute, Acts 14:23; 2 Cor. 8:19*
Abbott-Smith Greek Lexicon
* χειρο-τονέω, -ῶ
(< χείρ, τείνω)
to vote by stretching out the hand in the Athenian ἐκκλησία (Luc., Plut.).
to appoint:
by vote, II Co 8:19
without vote, Ac 14:23 (v. Rackham, in l.) (cf. προχειροτονέω).†
Moulton & Milligan — Vocabulary of the Greek NT
χειροτονέω, lit. ‘‘stretch out the hand,” then ‘‘elect by show of hands,” and then ‘‘elect,’’ “appoint” generally (cf. Ac 14°, 2 Cor 813) : see P Fay 261! (a.p. 150) ὑπό [Te ἐμοῦ . καὶ τοῦ κεχειροτονηϊμέν]οίυ π]ρὸς τοῦτο, P Ky! II. 77°7 (A.D. 192) ζοὐχὺ ἧττον ἑαυτὸν ἐχειροτόνησεν εἰς τὴν κατεπείγουσαν ἀρχὴν κοσμητείαν, “πε none the less nominated himself for the office immediately required, that of cosmetes” (Edd.), Chres/. 11. 882-10 (ii/a.p.) χειροτονηθήσονται δὲ ἐντὸς Καὶ ἡμερῶν ὑπὸ τοῦ στρατηγοῦ {τοῦ νομοῦ, P Flor I. 614 (A.p. 210) ἐπισκέπτης γ[ὰ]ρ ἐχειροτονήθην and P Oxy X. 1252 versol® (A.D. 288-95) v[roytw|s χειροτονη[θεὶς] . . . els τὴν παρὰ ᾿Οξυρυγχ[είταις] πρυτανείαν, ‘‘having been recently appointed to the prytany at Oxyrhynchus.” For χειροτονέω in its later ecclesiastical sense of ‘* ordain,” cf. the vi/A.D. P Giss I. 55° where a bishop writes to a brother-bishop ἠξιώθην. γράψαι πρ[ὸ]ς τὴν σὴν ἁγιότητα π]ερὶ Σανσνεῦτί6]ς τινος πρὸ πολλοῦ χειροτονηθένϊ τος π]αρὰ τοῦ τῆς μίαϊκαρίας μνήμης Φοιβαδίου τοῦ ἐπισκ[όπου, and see the Coptic ostracon regarding the ordination of deacons in Crum Coftic Ostraca, No. 29 (reproduced by Deissmann 2.4.5, p. 221 ft.). The corr. subst. appears in such passages as P Oxy IX. 1101 (A.D. 280) περὶ τῆς τῶν ἐπιμελητῶν χειροτονίας, “*concerning the election of administrators,” 7b. 12044 (A.D. 299) Td βιβλίον τῆς χειροτονείας παρασχεθήτω, “‘let
Liddell-Scott-Jones — Greek-English Lexicon
χειροτονέω (cheirotoneō) — to appoint. χειροτον-έω, stretch out the hand, for the purpose of giving one's vote in the assembly, περὶ τῶν ἀνδρῶν [Refs 1st c.AD+]; μὴ χ. vote against the motion, [Refs 2nd c.AD+] —but mostly,
II. with accusative person, elect, properly by show of hands, [Refs 5th c.BC+]:—passive, to be elected, [Refs 5th c.BC+]; ἐπὶ τοῦτ᾽ ἐχειροτονήθησαν, ἵνα.. [Refs 5th c.BC+]; χ. ἐπὶ τῆς διοικήσεως Decrees cited in [Refs 5th c.BC+]
II. b later, generally, appoint, [Refs 1st c.AD+]; of the Jewish High Priest, [Refs 1st c.AD+]; appoint to an office in the Church, πρεσβυτέρους [NT]
II.2. with accusative of things, vote for a thing, [Refs 5th c.BC+]infinitive, ὁ δῆμος ἐχειροτόνησεν ἐξεῖναι.. πέμπειν voted to send, [Refs 4th c.BC+] —passive, κεχειροτόνηται ὕβρις τὸ πρᾶγυ᾽ εἶναι it is voted, ruled to be.., [Refs 4th c.BC+]
III. span with the hand, τὸ αἰδοῖον [Refs 2nd c.AD+]; χειροκοπεῖν codices).