Quick Definition
ψάλλω v. I sing psalms
Strong's Definition
probably strengthened from psao (to rub or touch the surface; compare 5597); to twitch or twang, i.e. to play on a stringed instrument (celebrate the divine worship with music and accompanying odes)
KJV Usage: make melody, sing (psalms)
UBS Dictionary of the Greek New Testament
verb | fut. ψαλῶ | ψαλμός
UBS Dictionary of the Greek New Testament © United Bible Societies, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0.
Thayer's Greek Lexicon
ψάλλω; fut. ψαλῶ ; (fr. ψάω, to rub, wipe; to handle, touch, [but ef. Curtius p. 730]) ; a. to pluck off pull out: ἔθειραν, the hair, Aeschyl. Pers. 1062. b. to cause to vibrate by touching, to twang: τόξων vevpas χειρί, Eur. Bacch. 784; spec. χόρδην, to touch or strike the chord, to twang the strings of a musical instrument so that they gently vibrate (Aristot. probl. 19, 23 [p. 919°, 27); and absol. fo play on a stringed instrument, to play the harp, ete.: Aristot., Plut., Arat., (in Plat. Lys. p. 209 Ὁ. with καὶ κρούειν τῷ πλήκτρῳ added [but not as explanatory of it; the Schol. ad loc. says ψῆλαι, τὸ ἄνευ πλήκτρου τῷ δακτύλῳ τὰς χορδὰς emapacGar]; it is distinguished from κιθαρίζειν in Hdt. 1, 155) ; Sept. for 12) and much oftener for 419; to sing to the music of the harp; in the N. T. to sing a hymn, to celebrate the praises of God in song, Jas. v.13 [R.V. sing praise]; τῷ κυρίῳ, τῷ ὀνόματι αὐτοῦ, (often so in Sept.), in honor of God, Eph. v. 19 [here A. V. making melody]; Ro. xv. 9; ψαλῶ τῷ πνεύματι, ψαλῶ δὲ καὶ τῷ voi, ‘I will sing God’s praises indeed with my whole soul stirred and borne away by the Holy Spirit, but I will also follow reason as my guide, so that what I sing may be understood alike by myself and by the listeners’, 1 Co. xiv. 15.
Mounce Concise Greek Dictionary
ψάλλω psallō 5x
to move by a touch, to twitch; to touch, strike the strings or chords of an instrument; absol. to play on a stringed instrument; to sing to music; in NT to sing praises, Rom. 15:9; 1 Cor. 14:15; Eph. 5:19; Jas. 5:13*
Abbott-Smith Greek Lexicon
ψάλλω
[in LXX chiefly for זמר pi. (Jg 5:3, Ps 7:17, al.), also for נגן pi. (I Ki 16:16ff., al.) ;]
to pull, twitch, twang (as a bowstring, etc.; Æsch., Eur., al.), hence,
absol.,
to play a stringed instrument with the fingers (Hdt., Plat., al.);
later, to sing to a harp, sing psalms (LXX); in NT, to sing a hymn, sing praise: Ja 5:13; c. dat. pers., Ro 15:9 (LXX), Eph 5:19; dat. instr., I Co 14:15.†
Moulton & Milligan — Vocabulary of the Greek NT
ψάλλω, properly = “play on a harp,” but in the NT, as in Jas 538, = “sing a hymn”: cf. Sy// 523 (= 578)!8 (ii/B.c.) διδάξει... κιθαρίζειν ἢ ψάλλειν, Pelagia-Legenden p. 1423 ἤρξατο ψάλλειν τὴν τρίτην [ὥραν, and Menander ᾿Επιτρέπ. 260 ἔψαλλον κόραις. See s.v. ψαλμός. MGr ψάλλω, ψέλνω, “sing,
Liddell-Scott-Jones — Greek-English Lexicon
ψάλλω (psallō) — to sing praise. ψάλλω, future ψᾰλῶ [LXX+NT]: aorist ἔψηλα [LXX+5th c.BC+]:—pluck, pull, twitch, ψ. ἔθειραν pluck the hair, [Refs 4th c.BC+] twang them, [Refs 5th c.BC+]; ἐκ κέραος ψ. βέλος send a shaft twanging from the bow, [Refs]; so μιλτοχαρὴς σχοῖνος ψαλλομένη a carpenter's red line, which is twitched and then suddenly let go, so as to leave a mark, [Refs 5th c.BC+]
II. mostly of the strings of musical instruments, play a stringed instrument with the fingers, and not with the plectron, ψῆλαι καὶ κρούειν τῷ πλήκτρῳ [Refs 5th c.BC+] [same place], et ibi [Refs 4th c.BC+]; opposed to κιθαρίζω, [Refs 5th c.BC+]; πρὶν μέν σ᾽ ἑπτάτονον ψάλλον (i.e. τὴν λύραν) Ion Eleg.3.3: absolutely, [Refs 5th c.BC+] —Prov., ῥᾷον ἤ τις ἂν χορδὴν ψήλειε 'as easy as falling off a log', [Refs 2nd c.AD+]
II.2. later, sing to a harp, [LXX+NT]; τῷ πνεύματι [NT]
II.3. passive, of the instrument, to be struck or played, ψαλλομένη χορδή [Refs 4th c.BC+]; also of persons, to be played to on the harp, [Refs 3rd c.BC+]