Quick Definition
αὐθεντέω v. I domineer over
Strong's Definition
from a compound of 846 and an obsolete hentes (a worker); to act of oneself, i.e. (figuratively) dominate
KJV Usage: usurp authority over
UBS Dictionary of the Greek New Testament
verb | αὐτός + ἔντεα
37.21 · Control, Rule · Control, Restrain
to control, to domineer to control in a domineering manner ‘To control in a domineering manner’ is often expressed idiomatically, for example, ‘to shout orders at,’ ‘to act like a chief toward,’ or ‘to bark at.’
UBS Dictionary of the Greek New Testament © United Bible Societies, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0.
Thayer's Greek Lexicon
αὐθεντέω, -ὦ ; (a bibl. and eccl. word; fr. αὐθέντης contr. fr. αὐτοέντης, and this fr. αὐτός and ἔντεα arms [al. ἕντης, ef. Hesych. συνέντης - συνεργός ; cf. Lobeck, Technol. p. 121]; hence a. acc. to earlier usage, one who with his own hand kills either others or himself. ὃ. in later Grk. writ. one who does a thing himself, the author (τῆς πράξεως, Polyb. 23, 14, 2, ete.) ; one who acts on his own authority, autocratic, i. q. αὐτοκράτωρ an absolute master ; ef. Lobeck ad Phryn. p. 120 [also as above; cf. W. § 2,1 6.7); to govern one, exercise dominion over one: twos, 1 Tim. i. 12
Mounce Concise Greek Dictionary
αὐθεντέω authenteō 1x
to have authority over, domineer, 1 Tim. 2:12*
Abbott-Smith Greek Lexicon
*† αὐθεντέω, -ῶ
(< αὐθέντης, i.e. αὐτο- ἕντης, one who acts on his own authority, in π., an autocrat; cf. Wi 12:6; cf. -ία, III Mac 2:29; -ικος is freq. in vernacular, MM, s.v.),
to govern, exercise authority over: I Ti 2:12.†
Moulton & Milligan — Vocabulary of the Greek NT
αὐθεντέω. The history of this word has been satisfactorily cleared up by P. Kretschmer, in G/of/a iii. (1912), p. 289 ff. He shows that αὐθέντης ‘‘murderer”’ is by haplology for αὐτοθέντης from θείνω, while αὐθέντης ‘‘master’’ (as in literary MGr) is from αὐτ-ἕντης (cf. συνέντης᾽ συνεργός in Hesychius, root sez ‘‘accomplish,” avi). The astonishing sense-development described in Grimm may accordingly disappear. So likewise may his descraption of the verb as a “bibl. and eccl. word,’’ after the evidence (given below) that the adj. αὐθεντικός is very well established in the vernacular. “ Biblical ’’—which in this case means that the word occurs ovce in the NT (1 Tim 212)—seems intended to hint what ἅπαξ εἰρημένον in a ‘profane ’”’ writer would not convey. We may refer to Nageli, p. 49, for evidence which encourages us to find the verb’s provenance in the popular vocabulary. The Atticist Thomas Magister, p. 18, 8, warns his pupil to use αὐτοδικεῖν because αὐθεντεῖν was vulgar (κοινότερον) : so Moeris, p. 58 --αὐτοδίκην (/.—etv) ᾿᾽Αττικοι, αὐθέντην (1. --εἶν) “Εἰλληνες. The use in 1 Tim 2! comes quite naturally out of the word ‘‘master, autocrat.’’ Cf. P Leid W™ 45 6 ἀρχάγγελος τῶν ὑπὸ τὸν κόσμον, αὐθέντα ἥλιε. For the adj. cf. 26. i. 48, P Oxy II. 26ο3 (a. Ὁ. 59), ἃ document signed by the assistant of the strategus to give it legal sanction -Θέ[ω]ν ᾿Οννώφριος ὑπηρέτης ernkod[ot]O[q]ka τῆι [α]ύθεντι[κ]ῆι χιρ[ογρ]α(φίᾳ), “1, Theon, son of O., assistant, have checked this authentic bond’’ (Edd.): so 74. 1V. 719% 83 (A.D. 193). In BGU I. 3261-29 (ii./a.D.) a scribe declares the ἀντίγραφον before him to be σύμφωνον τῇ αὐθεντικῇ διαθήκῃ: cf. Wilcken Οτῶ τοῖο (Roman) ὁμολ[ογοῦμεν) ἔχιν τὴν αὐθεντικὴν ἀποχὴν ἀχύρ[ου), P Hamb I. 181-6 (Α.Ὁ. 222) αὐθ(εντικῶν) ἐπιστολ(ῶν) καὶ βιβλ(ιδίων) ὑποκεκολ(λημένων), P Giss 1. 341 (A.D. 265-6) τὰ αὐθεντικ[ά], and P Lond 985}8 (iv/A.p.) (= III. p. 229) ἔδοκα τὸ ἴσον κ[(αἱ) ἔχω τὴν αὐθε[ν]τικὴν ἀποχὴν παρ᾽ ἐμαυτῷ. The subst. is found P Lips I. 33: % 58 (a.p. 368), BGU 11. 66918 (Byz.) ἰδίᾳ αὐθεντίᾳ ὄργανον ἔστησεν εἰ[ς] τὸν αὐτὸν λάκκον. For αὐθεντίζω, “take in Παηα,᾿᾿ see Chrest. I. ii. p. 160. The noun produces ultimately the common MGr ἀφέντης (Zend?) ‘ Mr.
Liddell-Scott-Jones — Greek-English Lexicon
αὐθεντέω (authenteō) — to domineer. αὐθεντ-έω, to have full power or authority over, τινός I [NT+1st c.BC+]: with infinitive, [Refs 6th c.AD+]
2. commit a murder, [Refs 4th c.BC+]