This compound noun (κενός 'empty' + φωνή 'sound, voice') refers to talk that is empty of content, truth, or value—essentially godless chatter. Paul uses it twice in the Pastoral Epistles to warn Timothy against engaging with such hollow discussions. In both contexts (1 Tim 6:20; 2 Tim 2:16), it's paired with warnings about false teaching and knowledge falsely so-called. The term suggests not just error but emptiness—speech that sounds impressive but lacks substance and leads hearers away from godliness rather than toward it.