ἥμῐσυς G2255
Half; one of two equal parts, used of quantities, time periods, and portions
The standard Greek adjective for 'half,' appearing in the New Testament in both narrative and apocalyptic contexts. Herod's reckless oath offers 'half my kingdom' (Mark 6:23), Zacchaeus pledges half his goods to the poor (Luke 19:8), and Revelation measures prophetic time in halves—three and a half days, a time and times and half a time. Spanish distinguishes 'mitad' (noun, the half) from 'medio' (adjective, half), nicely mirroring the word's flexibility between substantive and attributive uses.
Senses
1. sense 1 — Half, one of two equal portions—used of possessions, territories, and time spans. In Mark 6:23 Herod promises up to half his kingdom; in Luke 19:8 Zacchaeus gives half his possessions to the poor. The apocalyptic passages in Revelation use it for prophetic time measurements: the witnesses lie dead for three and a half days (Rev 11:9, 11), and the woman is nourished for 'a time and times and half a time' (Rev 12:14). Spanish distinguishes 'mitad' (substantive half) from 'medio' (adjectival half), reflecting the word's dual syntactic role. 5×
AR["نِصفًا", "نِصفٍ", "نِصفَ", "نِصْفِ"]·ben["অর্ধ", "অর্ধেক", "আধা"]·DE["Haelfte", "ἡμίσιά"]·EN["a-half", "half"]·FR["moitié"]·heb["חֲצִי", "מַחֲצִית"]·HI["आधा", "आधी", "आधे", "मेरे"]·ID["setengah", "setengah,"]·IT["emisia", "emisous", "ēmisu"]·jav["sapalih", "sapalihing"]·KO["반", "반을", "절반"]·PT["meio", "metade"]·RU["пол-", "половину", "половину,", "половины", "половины,"]·ES["la-mitad", "medio", "mitades"]·SW["nusu", "nusu,"]·TR["buçuk", "yarım", "yarısı", "yarısına"]·urd["آدھا", "آدھی", "آدھے"]
Related Senses
H3808 1. simple negation (not) (4839×)G1722 1. locative: in, within (2442×)H1004b 1. house, dwelling, building (2015×)G3756 1. not (negation particle) (1635×)H4480a 1. source or separation (1198×)H5892b 1. city, town (1093×)G1519 1. direction: into, to, toward (1061×)H3427 1. Qal: to dwell, inhabit (937×)G1537 1. from, out of (source/origin) (886×)H8034 1. Name (designation / identifier) (856×)G3361 1. subjective negation (not) (834×)G1909 1. on, upon (spatial surface) (757×)H0369 1. existential negation: there is not (738×)H5869a 1. in the eyes/sight of (evaluative) (734×)H5650 1. Servant, attendant, subject (723×)H0408 1. prohibitive negation do-not (712×)G2443 1. so that, in order that (purpose/result) (665×)G0575 1. from (649×)G1223 1. through, by means of (582×)H3541 1. thus, so, in this manner (569×)
BDB / Lexicon Reference
ἥμῐσυς, εια, υ, genitive ἡμίσεος Refs 5th c.BC+ is sometimes a variant, as in Refs 5th c.BC+ [same places], and is found in later writers, as Refs 5th c.BC+; later contraction ἡμίσους LXX+8th c.BC+, Attic dialect ἡμίσεις Refs 5th c.BC+, etc.: Ionic dialect feminine ἡμίσεᾰ Refs 5th c.BC+), accusative plural -έας Refs 5th c.BC+: ἥμυσυς (assim.), Refs 5th c.BC+, etc.: neuter ἥμισον, τό, Refs 5th…