κρᾰτιστ-ος G2903
Most excellent, most noble; a superlative title of honor used to address high-ranking officials.
The superlative of 'strong' or 'good,' functioning in the NT exclusively as an honorific title for Roman officials—equivalent to Latin egregius or 'Your Excellency.' Luke addresses his patron Theophilus as kratiste (Luke 1:3), and Paul uses the same title when speaking to the governors Felix (Acts 24:3) and Festus (Acts 26:25), as well as in Lysias' letter to Felix (Acts 23:26). French très-excellent and Spanish excelentísimo perfectly mirror the superlative force of this courtly address.
Senses
1. sense 1 — A superlative adjective meaning 'most excellent' or 'most noble,' used in the NT exclusively as a formal title of address for persons of high rank. Luke uses it for Theophilus (Luke 1:3), suggesting the dedicatee held social or political standing. Paul employs it when addressing Roman governors: Claudius Lysias writes to 'most excellent Felix' (Acts 23:26), Paul addresses Felix as kratiste (Acts 24:3), and likewise Festus (Acts 26:25). Spanish excelentísimo and French très-excellent both capture the superlative honorific register. The term corresponds to the Latin equestrian title egregius, placing it in the formal vocabulary of Roman imperial administration. 4×
AR["أَيُّهَا-العَزِيزُ", "أَيُّهَا-الْعَزِيزُ", "العَزِيزِ"]·ben["মহামান্য"]·DE["Kreta"]·EN["most-excellent"]·FR["le-meilleur", "très-excellent"]·heb["הַנִּכְבָּד", "הַנֶּאֱדָר"]·HI["महामहिम", "श्रेष्ठ"]·ID["yang-mulia"]·IT["kratiste", "migliore"]·jav["ingkang-minulya", "ingkang-mulya", "minulya"]·KO["가장-존귀한"]·PT["excelentíssimo", "excelêntíssimo"]·RU["достопочтенный", "превосходнейший", "превосходному", "превосходный"]·ES["excelentísimo"]·SW["mstahiki", "mtukufu", "mtukufu-sana"]·TR["saygıdeğer", "sayın"]·urd["اے-عالی-جاہ", "عالی-جاہ", "عالی-جناب", "عزت-مآب"]
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
κρᾰτιστ-ος, η, ον, Epic dialect κάρτ- (as always in Refs 8th c.BC+, strongest, mightiest, Refs 8th c.BC+; Λημνίων τὸ κ. the best of their men, Refs the strength or flower of.., Refs 5th c.BC+, etc.; of things, καρτίστην.. μάχην fiercest fight, Refs 8th c.BC+. __2 generally, best, most excellent, as superlative of ἀγαθός, Refs 5th c.BC+; οἱ κράτιστοι the aristocracy, Refs 5th c.BC+ __2.b as a…