τόπος
: PLACE; G5117

Illustrations of English words
derived from the Greek in the New Testament.

By Gaylon West.

Topos Strong's #G5117 is a Bible Greek word that we Anglicize in such words as "topography." Strong defines it as "a spot (generally in space, but limited by occupancy;... location (as a position, home, tract, etc.); - coast, place, quarter, room." -- Example: And Jesus promised the apostles in the night that He was betrayed (John 14:1-3) that He was going go to prepare a place in His Father's house for them. Such a promise would extend to those of us that are added to the apostles (Acts 2:39-41). If John's record is chronological Judas Iscariot had left before Jesus made His promise. However, Judas Iscariot in transgressing fell so that he went to "his place." Acts 1:25. ENGLISH HISTORY of word from ETYMONLINE.COM "literary theme," from 1948, from Greek topos, which is literally "place, region, space." But it is also a "subject of a speech." "The broad semantic range renders etymologizing difficult" [Beekes]. My note: This would explain how topos (place) is used for our English word topic. OTHER ENGLISH WORDS THAT USE topos: atopy (n.) "type of abnormal hypersensitiveness," 1923, coined by Edward D. Perry, professor of Greek at Columbia University, at the request of medical men, from Greek atopia "unusualness, strangeness, a being out of the way," from atopos "out of place, strange, odd, eccentric," from a- "not, without" (see a- (3)) + topos "place." utopia (n.) 1551, from Modern Latin Utopia, literally "nowhere," coined by Thomas More (and used as title of his book, 1516, about an imaginary island enjoying the utmost perfection in legal, social, and political systems), from Greek ou "not" + topos "place" (see topos). The current (since c. 1960) explanation of Greek ou "not" is an odd one, as it derives the word from the PIE root *aiw- "vital force, life; long life, eternity." Linguists presume a pre-Greek phrase *(ne) hoiu (kwid) "(not on your) life," with ne "not" + *kwid, an "emphasizing particle" [Watkins]. The same pattern is found elsewhere. Extended to any perfect place by 1610s. Commonly, but incorrectly, taken as from Greek eu- "good" (see eu-) an error reinforced by the introduction of dystopia (by 1844). On the same model, Bentham had cacotopia (1818). dystopia (n.) "imaginary bad place," 1952, from dys- "bad, abnormal" + ending abstracted from utopia. Earlier in medical use, "displacement of an organ" (by 1844), with second element from Greek topos "place" (see topos). Dystopian was used in the non-medical sense in 1868 by J.S. Mill: I may be permitted, as one who, in common with many of my betters, have been subjected to the charge of being Utopian, to congratulate the Government on having joined that goodly company. It is, perhaps, too complimentary to call them Utopians, they ought rather to be called dys-topians, cacotopians. What is commonly called Utopian is something too good to be practicable; but what they appear favour is too bad to be practicable. [speech, March 12, 1868] topology (n.) 1650s, "study of the locations where plants are found," from Greek topos "place." toponym (n.) ectopic (adj.) topography (n.) isotope (n.) topiary (adj.) atopy (n.) topic (n.) GREEK DEFINITIONS o from THAYER'S Thayer Definition: G5117 τόπος topos 1) place, any portion or space marked off, as it were from surrounding space 1a) an inhabited place, as a city, village, district 1b) a place (passage) in a book 2) metaphorically 2a) the condition or station held by one in any company or assembly 2b) opportunity, power, occasion for acting Part of Speech: noun masculine A Related Word by Thayer’s/Strong’s Number: apparently a primary word

GREEK DEFINITIONS from STRONG'S HEBREW AND GREEK DICTIONARIES

G5117

τόπος

topos

top'-os

Apparently a primary word; a spot (generally in space, but limited by occupancy; whereas G5561 is a larger but particular locality), that is, location (as a position, home, tract, etc.); figuratively condition, opportunity; specifically a scabbard: - coast, licence, place, X plain, quarter, + rock, room, where.

Total KJV occurrences: 92

Mounce

G5117

τόπος

topos

94x: a place, locality, Matthew 12:43; Luke 6:17;
a limited spot or ground, Matthew 24:15; Matthew 27:33; John 4:20; Acts 6:13;
a precise spot or situation, Matthew 28:6; Mark 16:6; Luke 14:9;
a dwelling place, abode, mansion, dwelling, seat, John 14:2-3; Acts 4:31;
a place of ordinary deposit, Matthew 26:52;
a place, passage in a book, Luke 4:17;
place occupied, room, space, Luke 2:7; Luke 14:9; Luke 14:22;
place, opportunity, Acts 25:16; Hebrews 12:17;
place, condition, position, 1 Corinthians 14:16.