δίδῠμος G1324
Didymus, a Greek name meaning 'twin' used as a designation for the apostle Thomas
The Greek name Didymus functions as a translation or explanatory designation for Thomas, one of the twelve apostles. The name derives from δίδυμος meaning 'twin,' and appears in John's gospel whenever Thomas is introduced or reintroduced to readers. This bilingual naming practice reflects the mixed linguistic context of first-century Judea, where both Aramaic (Thomas) and Greek names coexisted.
Senses
1. sense 1 — Used exclusively as a personal designation for the apostle Thomas in John's Gospel (11:16, 20:24, 21:2). The consistent pairing 'Thomas called Didymus' shows the evangelist explaining the Aramaic name for Greek-speaking readers. Both names mean 'twin,' making this a direct translation rather than a separate name. The multilingual evidence (Spanish Dídymos, French Didyme, German Didymus) preserves the Greek transliteration, reflecting its function as a proper name in the narrative. 3×
AR["التَّوْأَمَ", "التَّوْأَمُ"]·ben["দিদুম", "যমজ,", "যমজ;"]·DE["Didymus"]·EN["Didumos", "Twin"]·FR["Didyme"]·heb["דִּידוּמוֹס"]·HI["दिदुमुस"]·ID["Didimus"]·IT["didumos"]·jav["Didimus", "Kembar"]·KO["디두모", "디두모가"]·PT["Dídimo"]·RU["Близнец"]·ES["Dídymos"]·SW["Didumos", "Pacha"]·TR["İkiz"]·urd["جُڑواں", "دیدیمس"]
Related Senses
G3588 1. definite article (18298×)H0853 1. definite direct object marker (10915×)G2532 1. (8312×)H3068 1. YHWH (the divine name) (6522×)H0834a 1. relative pronoun (who/which/that) (4839×)H3588a 1. causal: because, for (3498×)G1161 1. and (2806×)H3478 1. Israel (proper name and nation) (2507×)G4771 1. you (plural address) (1853×)H1931 1. personal pronoun he/she/it (1431×)G3739 1. relative pronoun who/which/that (1149×)H1732 1. David (proper name) (1075×)H2088 1. this, this one (demonstrative) (1059×)G1063 1. (1047×)G3778 1. this thing, these things (1003×)H???? 2. (1002×)G2424 1. (924×)G3754 1. that (content clause) (881×)H2009 1. presentative particle: behold, look (881×)H0589 1. I (first person singular pronoun) (874×)
BDB / Lexicon Reference
δίδῠμος [ῐ], η, ον, also ος, ον variant in Refs 5th c.BC+ —reduplicate from δύο, double, twofold, Refs 8th c.BC+ with both hands, Refs 5th c.BC+; δ. ἅλς, i. e. the Pontus and Bosporus, Refs 5th c.BC+forked, LXX; τὸ γλυκύ μοι δ., of a wife, Refs __II twin, δ. κασίγνητος Refs 5th c.BC+ __III substantive, δίδυμοι twins, Refs 8th c.BC+: of the Twins in the zodiac, Refs 4th c.BC+; also δίδυμα, τά, Refs 5th c.BC+ __III.2 the testicles, LXX+3rd c.BC+ __III.3 ovaries, Refs 3rd c.BC+