Word

μικρός

mikrós · G3398 · Greek · 46 occurrences

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Meanings

little, few, limited amount of

Pertaining to a particularly limited quantity

Examples
Luke 12:32 “Do not be afraid, little flock, because your Father has chosen to give you the kingdom.
John 12:35 So Jesus said to them, “For a little while longer the Light is among you. Walk while you have the Light, so that darkness will not overtake you; also, the one who walks in the darkness does not know where he is going.
1 Corinthians 5:6 Your boasting is not good. Do you not know that a little leaven leavens the whole lump of dough?
small, little

A small size, relative to the norm for the class of objects in question

Examples
Matthew 13:32 and this is smaller than all the other seeds, but when it is fully grown, it is larger than the garden plants and becomes a tree, so that THE BIRDS OF THE SKY come and NEST IN ITS BRANCHES.”
Mark 4:31 “It is like a mustard seed, which, when sown upon the soil, though it is the smallest of all the seeds that are upon the soil,
Luke 7:28 “I say to you, among those born of women there is no one greater than John; yet the one who is least in the kingdom of God is greater than he.”
little, very little

A very low point on a scale of extent

Examples
Hebrews 8:11 “AND THEY WILL NOT TEACH, EACH ONE HIS FELLOW CITIZEN, AND EACH ONE HIS BROTHER, SAYING, ‘KNOW THE LORD,’ FOR THEY WILL ALL KNOW ME, FROM THE LEAST TO THE GREATEST OF THEM.
Revelation 3:8 ‘I know your deeds. Behold, I have put before you an open door which no one can shut, because you have a little power, and have followed My word, and have not denied My name.
Revelation 6:11 And a white robe was given to each of them; and they were told that they were to rest for a little while longer, until the number of their fellow servants and their brothers and sisters who were to be killed even as they had been, was completed also.
a little while, for a little while, a short time, brief, briefly

Pertaining to a relatively brief extent of time

Examples
Matthew 26:73 A little later the bystanders came up and said to Peter, “You really are one of them as well, since even the way you talk gives you away.”
John 13:33 “Little children, I am still with you a little longer. You will look for Me; and just as I said to the Jews, now I also say to you: ‘Where I am going, you cannot come.’
Hebrews 10:37 FOR YET IN A VERY LITTLE WHILE, HE WHO IS COMING WILL COME, AND WILL NOT DELAY.
short

Pertaining to being short, in a horizontal or vertical dimension

Examples
Matthew 26:39 And He went a little beyond them, and fell on His face and prayed, saying, “My Father, if it is possible, let this cup pass from Me; yet not as I will, but as You will.”
Mark 14:35 And He went a little beyond them, and fell to the ground and began praying that if it were possible, the hour might pass Him by.
Mark 15:40 Now there were also some women watching from a distance, among whom were Mary Magdalene, Mary the mother of James the Less and Joses, and Salome.
young, younger

Pertaining to a living being who is relatively young, often the younger of two objects

Examples
Mark 15:40 Now there were also some women watching from a distance, among whom were Mary Magdalene, Mary the mother of James the Less and Joses, and Salome.
low, unimportant

Pertaining to being of low or unimportant status (in contrast with μέγας great; important;)

Examples
Matthew 10:42 “And whoever gives one of these little ones just a cup of cold water to drink in the name of a disciple, truly I say to you, he shall by no means lose his reward.”
Matthew 11:11 “Truly I say to you, among those born of women there has not arisen anyone greater than John the Baptist! Yet the one who is least in the kingdom of heaven is greater than he.
Matthew 18:6 but whoever causes one of these little ones who believe in Me to sin, it is better for him that a heavy millstone be hung around his neck, and that he be drowned in the depths of the sea.
very soon, in a very short while

(An idiom, literally: little, how much, how much) A relatively short time, with emphasis upon the certainty of the brief period

Examples
Hebrews 10:37 FOR YET IN A VERY LITTLE WHILE, HE WHO IS COMING WILL COME, AND WILL NOT DELAY.

How it’s used In 9 roles

Every occurrence, grouped by the words it is grammatically related to.

the word studied the word it goes with

Words describing itAdjectives, demonstratives, participles

6 occurrences in 1 groups

οὗτοςthis 6

Named alongside itApposition

6 occurrences in 6 groups

πιστεύωto believe 2
δοῦλοςslave, bondservant 1
νεκρόςdead, the dead 1
οὗτοςthis 1
πᾶςall, every, each 1
φοβέωto fear, to be afraid, to show great reverence for 1

What it doesIt is the subject

1 occurrences in 1 groups

ἀπόλλυμιto destroy, to perish, to lose 1

What is done to itIt is the object

5 occurrences in 4 groups

σκανδαλίζωto cause to stumble, to offend 2
ἔπωto say 1
καταφρονέωto despise 1
ποτίζωto give to drink, to water 1

It is given or told toIndirect object

1 occurrences in 1 groups

μαρτύρομαιto declare 1

What it is said to bePredicate

2 occurrences in 1 groups

μέγαςgreat, large 2

What is said to be itIt is the predicate

2 occurrences in 1 groups

ὅςwho, which, that 2

After prepositionsPrepositional phrases

4 occurrences in 2 groups

μετάwith, after 5
ἀπόfrom 2

In phrases “… of it”It is the genitive

2 occurrences in 2 groups

εἷςone 1
σάρξflesh, body, physical body 1

When two words share a role, as in “Paul and Barnabas said”, the verse appears under each, so a section’s counts can add up to more than the number of occurrences.

MACULA Greek Linguistic Datasets, available at https://github.com/Clear-Bible/macula-greek/, licensed CC BY 4.0; MACULA Hebrew Linguistic Datasets © 2022-2024 by Biblica, Inc., CC BY 4.0. Westminster Leningrad Codex (tanach.us). OpenScriptures Hebrew Bible morphology (hb.openscriptures.org), CC BY 4.0.

Near synonyms 1 word

ἐλάσσων elássōn · G1640 · few, less, lesser: Both terms denote comparative smallness across multiple dimensions (physical size, quantity, age, status). ἐλάσσων (elássōn, G1640) ἐλάσσων appears in comparative contexts with emphasis on degree or rank, while μικρός (mikrós, G3398) μικρός has broader application including both literal physical smallness and figurative insignificance or youth, with more extensive attestation across New Testament usage.

In the other Testament 2 words

קָטָן qâṭân · H6996 · small, weak, young: Greek μικρός and Hebrew קָטָן are direct translation equivalents denoting smallness across physical size, quantity, age, and social status, functioning as the standard terms for 'small, little' in their respective languages.
מְעַט mᵉʻaṭ · H4592 · few, little, small: מְעַט (mᵉʻaṭ, H4592) is the Hebrew equivalent denoting smallness in quantity, number, or degree, directly corresponding to μικρός (mikrós, G3398)'s semantic range across size, quantity, and figurative diminution.

Semantic domains 8 entries

Little, few, limited amount of59.15: This sense denotes a limited quantity or number. Luke 12:32 reassures the disciples, “Do not be afraid, little flock, because your Father has chosen to give you the kingdom.”
A little while, for a little while, a short time, brief, briefly67.106: This sense denotes a brief span of time. John 16:16 has Jesus tell His disciples, “A little while, and you no longer are going to see Me; and again a little while, and you will see Me.”
Very soon, in a very short while67.107: This sense denotes an imminent occurrence, emphasizing how soon an event will happen. Hebrews 10:37 declares, “FOR YET IN A VERY LITTLE WHILE, HE WHO IS COMING WILL COME, AND WILL NOT DELAY.”
Young, younger67.116: This sense denotes a person's relative youth, distinguishing them from an older namesake. Mark 15:40 identifies one of the women at the crucifixion as “Mary the mother of James the Less and Joses.”
Little, very little78.9: This sense denotes a small degree or measure of something. James 3:5 observes, “the tongue is a small part of the body, and yet it boasts of great things,” and warns how great a forest a small fire can set aflame.
Small, little79.125: This sense denotes a small physical size. Luke 19:3 explains that Zaccheus could not see Jesus over the crowd “because he was short in stature.”
Short81.13: This sense denotes a brief extent, applied here to a short duration. Mark 14:70 recounts that “after a little while the bystanders were again saying to Peter, ‘You really are one of them, for you are a Galilean as well.’”
Low, unimportant87.58: This sense denotes a person of low social standing, in contrast to someone of high status. Acts 8:10 describes how in Samaria, Simon the magician drew attention “from small to great,” meaning people of every social rank.

Word family 2 words

Words formed from the same root. They share a form, not always a meaning.

μικρόςmikrós · G3398μικρόν mikrón · G3397 · a small space of time or degree · 0×

Thayer's Greek-English Lexicon μικρά, μικρόν, comparitive μικρότερος, μικροτερα, ἐρον (from Homer down), the Sept. for…

μικρά, μικρόν, comparitive μικρότερος, μικροτερα, ἐρον (from Homer down), the Sept. for קָטֹן, קָטָן, מְעַט, small, little; used a. of size: Mt 13:32; Mk 4:31; hence, of stature, τῇ ἡλικία, Lk 19:3; of length, Jas 3:5.
b. of space: neuter προελθών (προσελθών, T Tr WH marginal reading in Matthew, Tr WH marginal reading in Mark (see προσέρχομαι, a.)) μικρόν, having gone forward a little, Mt 26:39; Mk 14:35 (cf. Winers Grammar, § 32,6; Buttmann, § 131, 11f).
c. of age: less by birth, younger, Mk 15:40 (others take this of stature); οἱ μικροί, the little ones, young children, Mt 18:6, Mt 18:10, Mt 18:14; Mk 9:42; ἐπο μικροῦ ἕως μεγάλου (A. V. from the least to the greatest), Acts 8:10; Heb 8:11 (Jer 6:13; Jeremiah 38:34); μικρός τέ καί μέγας (both small and great) i. e. all, Acts 26:22; plural, Rev 11:18; Rev 13:16; Rev 19:5, Rev 19:18; Rev 20:12.
d. of time, short, brief: neuter — nominative, ἔτι (or ἔτι omitted) μικρόν (namely, ἔσται) καί (yet) a little while and etc. i. e. shortly (this shall come to pass), Jn 14:19; Jn 16:16f, 19 ((cf. Ex 17:4)); ἔτι μικρόν ὅσον ὅσον (see ὅσος, a.); without καί, Heb 10:37 (Isa 26:20); τό μικρόν (Tr WH omits τό), Jn 16:18; — μικρόν accusative (of duration), Jn 13:33 (Job 36:2); μικρόν χρόνον, Jn 7:33; Jn 12:35; Rev 6:11; Rev 20:3; μετά μικρόν, after a little while, Mt 26:73; Mk 14:70, (πρό μικροῦ, Wis. 15:8).
e. of quantity, i. e. number or amount: μικρά ζύμη, 1 Cor 5:6; Gal 5:9; of number, μικρόν ποιμιον, Lk 12:32; of quantity, μικρά δύναμις, Rev 3:8; neuter μικρόν (τί), a little, 2 Cor 11:1, 2 Cor 11:16.
f. of rank or influence: Mt 10:42; Lk 9:48; Lk 17:2; ὁ μικρότερος ἐν τῇ βασιλεία τῶν οὐρανῶν, he that is inferior to the other citizens of the kingdom of heaven in knowledge of the gospel (R. V. but little in etc.; cf. Winers Grammar, 244 (229); Buttmann, § 123, 13), Mt 11:11; Lk 7:28.

Thayer's Greek-English Lexicon of the New Testament (1889), public domain

Topical studies with this word 6 entries

Much, Little [Masses, Collectives, Extensions]4 occurrences Duration of Time without Reference to Points or Units of Time: Time, Spend Time, Always, Eternal, Old, Immediately, Young4 occurrences Much, Little [Positive-Negative Degree]4 occurrences Large, Small8 occurrences Long, Short, Far2 occurrences Low Status or Rank [including persons of low status]15 occurrences

Meanings adapted from the UBS Dictionary of the Greek New Testament, © United Bible Societies, CC BY-SA 4.0 and the UBS Dictionary of Biblical Hebrew (from the Semantic Dictionary of Biblical Hebrew), © United Bible Societies, CC BY-SA 4.0; MACULA Greek Linguistic Datasets, available at https://github.com/Clear-Bible/macula-greek/, licensed CC BY 4.0; MACULA Hebrew Linguistic Datasets © 2022-2024 by Biblica, Inc., CC BY 4.0. Westminster Leningrad Codex (tanach.us). OpenScriptures Hebrew Bible morphology (hb.openscriptures.org), CC BY 4.0.

Sources

eRhema lexical overview, based on the UBS Dictionary of Biblical Hebrew and the UBS Dictionary of the Greek New Testament (© United Bible Societies, CC BY-SA 4.0) and Macula Hebrew and Greek (Clear Bible, CC BY 4.0); released under CC BY-SA 4.0