An adverb meaning almost, nearly, or close to—approaching but not quite reaching. Luke uses it of 'almost the whole city' gathering to hear Paul (Acts 13:44), Paul's statement that 'almost all of Asia' had seen his persuasive work (19:26), and Hebrews' observation that 'almost everything is purified with blood' under the law (9:22). Classical Greek uses it for spatial nearness, close combat, approaching time, or similarity. The word suggests proximity—just short of complete or total, nearly but not absolutely.