G3102 G3102
μαθήτρια — a female disciple or learner, the feminine form of μαθητής
This rare feminine form appears only in Acts 9:36 to describe Tabitha (Dorcas), explicitly identified as a woman who was a disciple. The term carries the same meaning as its masculine counterpart: one who learns from and follows a teacher. In the NT context, it denotes a follower of Jesus. The explicit use of the feminine form suggests intentionality in Luke's description, highlighting Tabitha's status as a committed disciple known for good works and charity.
Senses
1. sense 1 — The nominative singular feminine designates Tabitha as a learner and follower of Jesus' way. The multilingual evidence (Spanish 'discípula,' French 'disciple') shows translators recognizing this as the feminine counterpart to the common μαθητής, emphasizing that discipleship was not exclusively male in the early Christian community. 1×
AR["تِلْمِيذَةٌ"]·ben["শিষ্যা"]·DE["μαθήτρια"]·EN["female-disciple"]·FR["disciple"]·heb["תַּלְמִידָה"]·HI["चेली"]·ID["murid-perempuan"]·IT["discepola"]·jav["murid-èstri,"]·KO["여제자-가"]·PT["discípula"]·RU["ученица"]·ES["discípula"]·SW["mwanafunzi-wa-kike"]·TR["kadın-öğrenci"]·urd["شاگرد"]
Related Senses
H8104 1. Qal: keep, observe (law/covenant) (399×)G3101 1. disciple, learner (263×)H5826 1. Qal: to help, aid (53×)H8334 1. to minister, serve (52×)H8334 2. minister, servant, attendant (46×)G5083 1. observe or obey commands (41×)H8104 2. Niphal: beware, take heed (34×)G1247 1. to serve or minister to (32×)H3256 1. discipline, chastise (Piel active) (27×)H5833 1. help, aid, assistance (26×)H8104 3. Qal: watch, look out (26×)H5341 1. keep, observe (commandments) (24×)G5083 2. guard or protect someone (23×)H5647 2. serve, minister to (a person) (21×)H5826 2. Qal participle: helper (21×)G5219 1. obey, be obedient to (20×)H5341 2. guard, protect, preserve (a person) (20×)G1398 1. serve, render service to (19×)H5828 1. help, assistance (19×)H5411 1. Nethinim, temple servants (18×)
BDB / Lexicon Reference
Related to: μᾰθητ-ής, οῦ, ὁ, learner, pupil, τῆς Ἑλλάδος Refs 5th c.BC+; of dancing, Refs 4th c.BC+: frequently in Attic dialect of the pupils of philosophers and rhetoricians, οὐ θέμις πλὴν τοῖς μ. λέγειν Refs 5th c.BC+ with genitive _of things_, τούτου τοῦ μαθήματος μ. a studentofit, Refs; μ. ἰατρικῆς a student of medicine,Refs; apprentice, Refs 2nd c.AD+