τε G5037
And, both, also -- an enclitic conjunction linking words, phrases, or clauses.
The particle te is one of Greek's subtle connective tools, functioning as an enclitic conjunction that binds elements together more closely than the common kai. It frequently appears in the paired construction te...kai ('both...and'), lending a sense of natural pairing or logical belonging. Luke and the author of Hebrews favor it heavily, giving Acts and Hebrews a distinctly literary register. Spanish reduces it to the simple conjunction 'y,' as do French 'et' and German 'und,' though these translations lose the nuance of the enclitic positioning that signals a tighter logical bond between the joined elements.
Senses
1. and, both, also (enclitic conjunction) — An enclitic coordinating particle that connects words, phrases, or clauses, typically appearing postpositively after the first word of its clause. Most often functions as a simple connective 'and' or in the correlative pair te...kai ('both...and'), binding elements in closer logical unity than kai alone. Concentrated in Luke-Acts and Hebrews (Acts 5:19, 5:42; Heb 1:3), reflecting elevated Hellenistic prose style. Spanish 'y,' French 'et,' and German 'und' uniformly confirm its conjunctive function. 215×
AR["وَ", "وَ-"]·ben["-এবং"]·DE["und"]·EN["and-", "both-"]·FR["et-"]·heb["גַּם-", "וְ-", "וְ-גַם"]·HI["-मन्दिर-में", "और", "भी"]·ID["-pun", "dan"]·IT["e-"]·jav["lan", "sarta", "sarta."]·KO["그들-을", "그리고", "둔-다"]·PT["e", "o", "tanto"]·RU["также-"]·ES["*-y"]·SW["na-pia", "na-pia-"]·TR["-da", "-hem", "hem", "kalabalığı"]·urd["بھی"]
Related Senses
G3588 1. definite article (18298×)H0853 1. definite direct object marker (10915×)G2532 1. (8312×)H3068 1. YHWH (the divine name) (6522×)H0834a 1. relative pronoun (who/which/that) (4839×)H3588a 1. causal: because, for (3498×)G1161 1. and (2806×)H3478 1. Israel (proper name and nation) (2507×)G4771 1. you (plural address) (1853×)H1931 1. personal pronoun he/she/it (1431×)G3739 1. relative pronoun who/which/that (1149×)H1732 1. David (proper name) (1075×)H2088 1. this, this one (demonstrative) (1059×)G1063 1. (1047×)G3778 1. this thing, these things (1003×)H???? 2. (1002×)G2424 1. (924×)G3754 1. that (content clause) (881×)H2009 1. presentative particle: behold, look (881×)H0589 1. I (first person singular pronoun) (874×)
BDB / Lexicon Reference
τε, enclitic Particle, with two main uses (see. infr. A, B). __A as a Conjunction, __A.I τε.. τε, both.. and, joining single words, phrases, clauses, or sentences, the first τε merely pointing forward to the second, ἀνδρῶν τε θεῶν τε Refs 8th c.BC+; the elements joined by τε.. τε are usually short in Refs 8th c.BC+, longer in later Gr., e.g. ἐπειδὴ πρόξενοί τέ εἰσιν Ἀθηναίων καὶ εὐεργέται.., ἔν…