Search / G1646
ἐλᾰχιστ-ος G1646
Adj-DNS-S  |  13× in 1 sense
least, smallest, very small — superlative adjective indicating the lowest degree in size, rank, or importance
Elachistos is the superlative of elachys ('small'), functioning as the opposite of megistos ('greatest'). Across its 13 New Testament occurrences, it describes the smallest or least significant in various dimensions: rank in the kingdom (Matt 5:19, 11:11, Luke 7:28), apparent insignificance of a place (Matt 2:6 'Bethlehem, by no means least'), the seemingly trivial matters of daily life (Luke 12:26, 16:10, 19:17), and the overlooked members of the human family (Matt 25:40, 45 'the least of these my brothers'). Jesus characteristically inverts the expected hierarchy, declaring that faithfulness in the least reveals fitness for the greatest. Spanish 'lo minimo,' French 'le plus petit,' German 'geringster' all capture the superlative force.

Senses
1. least, smallest, very small The superlative adjective meaning 'least, smallest, most insignificant,' applied to rank, importance, size, or amount. In Jesus' teaching it often carries a paradoxical edge: the one called 'least in the kingdom' (Matt 5:19), faithfulness 'in a very little thing' qualifying for greater trust (Luke 16:10, 19:17), and 'the least of these my brothers' as the surprising locus of encounter with Christ (Matt 25:40, 45). Also used of Bethlehem's apparent insignificance (Matt 2:6) and of matters too small to worry about (Luke 12:26). Multilingual glosses — 'lo minimo,' 'le plus petit,' 'geringster' — consistently render the superlative sense. 13×
QUANTITY_NUMBER Degree Smallness and Least
AR["أصغَرُ", "أصغَرِ", "أَقَلِّ", "الأَصْغَرَ", "الصُّغْرَى", "القَليلِ", "القَلِيلِ", "الْأَصَاغِرِ", "صُغْرى"]·ben["অতিক্ষুদ্রতে", "ক্ষুদ্রতম", "ক্ষুদ্রতম--", "ক্ষুদ্রতম?", "সামান্যতম", "সামান্যতমদের"]·DE["geringster", "ἐλάχιστος", "ἐλάχιστόν", "ἐλαχίστου", "ἐλαχίστων"]·EN["a-very-small", "least", "smallest"]·FR["le-plus-petit"]·heb["הַקְּטַנִּים", "הַקָּטֹן", "הַקָּטֹן-בִּיוֹתֵר", "מְעַט", "מְעַט-מְאֹד", "קְטַנִּים", "קְטַנָּה", "קָטָן"]·HI["छोटी-सी", "छोटी-से-छोटी", "छोटे-से-छोटे", "थोड़े-में", "बहुत-छोटी", "सबसे-छोटा", "सबसे-छोटी", "सबसे-छोटी-में-से"]·ID["perkara-kecil", "sangat-kecil", "terkecil", "terkecil?", "yang-paling-kecil", "yang-terkecil"]·IT["elachistou", "minimo"]·jav["alit-piyambak", "alit-piyambak,", "alit-sanget", "alit?", "bab-ingkang-alit,", "ingkang-alit-piyambak", "ingkang-paling-alit", "paling-alit"]·KO["가장-작은", "가장-작은-것도", "가장-작은-것들--", "가장-작은-것에서", "가장-작은-이", "가장-작은-자", "가장-작은-자들", "가장-작은-자라", "지극히-작은-것"]·PT["menor", "menores", "muito-pequena-coisa", "muito-pequeno", "mínimo"]·RU["малейшего", "малейшем", "малейшим", "малейших", "малейших?", "меньшая", "меньший", "меньших", "наименьшее"]·ES["la-más-pequeña", "lo-mínimo", "muy-pequeño", "más-pequeño", "más-pequeños", "mínimos?"]·SW["dogo-sana", "jambo-dogo-sana", "kidogo-sana", "madogo?", "mdogo-kabisa", "mdogo-sana", "ndogo-kabisa", "wadogo"]·TR["en küçük", "en küçüğü-", "en-küçük", "en-küçüklerinden", "en-küçüklerinin", "en-küçükte", "en-küçüğü"]·urd["بہت-چھوٹی", "تھوڑے", "ٹھوڑے", "چھوٹا", "چھوٹوں", "چھوٹی", "چھوٹے-سے", "چھوٹے-سے-چھوٹا", "چھوٹے-سے-چھوٹے"]

Related Senses
H3605 1. all, every, whole (5352×)H0259 1. one (cardinal numeral) (940×)H8147 1. cardinal number two (666×)G3956 1. all (collective plural) (616×)H3967 1. cardinal numeral hundred (550×)H1419a 1. great, large (general quality) (486×)H7969 1. cardinal number three (431×)H0505 1. cardinal number thousand (427×)H7651 1. seven (cardinal number) (393×)G1520 1. cardinal number one (339×)H6240 1. ten (cardinal number) (334×)H6242 1. twenty (cardinal number) (315×)H2568 1. cardinal number five (309×)H0702 1. four (cardinal number) (277×)G3956 2. every, each (distributive) (227×)H8337 1. six (cardinal number) (215×)G3956 3. all things, everything (substantive) (211×)G3956 4. (187×)H6235 1. ten (177×)G3173 1. great in size or extent (176×)

BDB / Lexicon Reference
ἐλᾰχιστ-ος [], η, ον, superlative of ἐλαχύς: comparative ἐλάσσων (which see):— smallest, least, frequently with a negative, γέρας, δύναμις οὐκ ., Refs 5th c.BC+; λόγου ἐλαχίστου of least account, Refs; ἐλαχίστου ἐδέησε διαφθεῖραι narrowly missed destroying them, Refs 5th c.BC+ __2 of Time, shortest, δι᾽ ἐλαχίστου (i.e. χρόνου) Refs 5th c.BC+; δι᾽ ἐλαχίστης βουλῆς with shortest deliberation,