ὀλίγος

βραχύς brachýs · G1024 · few, limited number of, little

Both terms denote smallness or shortness across multiple dimensions — quantity, duration, and degree. The target explicitly covers 'a little while, a brief span,' and βραχύς's gloss directly states 'short of time, place, quantity, or number' — genuine interchangeability in describing limited extent or brief duration.

πολύς polýs · G4183 · many, a great deal of, a great number of

The target, denoting smallness in quantity, degree, or extent, and πολύς, denoting largeness or abundance in the corresponding dimensions, are genuine scalar opposites: 'little, few, brief, slight' directly contrasts with 'much, many, often, greatly' across the same semantic dimensions of quantity, temporal extent, and degree — an explicit quantitative opposition.

מְעַט mᵉʻaṭ · H4592 · few, little, small

מְעַט (mᵉʻaṭ, H4592) and ὀλίγος (olígos, G3641) are direct cross-linguistic equivalents denoting smallness in quantity, degree, or extent, with the Greek term serving as the standard LXX rendering of the Hebrew in contexts describing fewness, brevity, or insignificance.

מִצְעָר mitsʻâr · H4705 · a small one, a little one, few

Greek ὀλίγος and Hebrew מִצְעָר both denote smallness across extent, quantity, and degree, functioning as cross-linguistic translation equivalents for 'small/little/puny' in contexts requiring emphasis on diminutive size or limited number.

מַת math · H4962 · people, man

Hebrew מַת (math, H4962) denotes 'few' or 'small number' as a quantitative term for people or things, directly corresponding to Greek ὀλίγος (olígos, G3641) in its core sense of 'few, little, small' in extent or number; the Greek term exhibits broader semantic range extending to degree, duration, and value beyond quantity, but the overlap in the 'few/small in number' sense constitutes genuine translation equivalence.

Little, small amount59.13

Inviting the disciples to rest, Mark 6:31 states He said to them, “Come away by yourselves to a secluded place and rest a little while,” where “a little while” renders this adjective describing a small amount of time.

Few, less59.3

Concluding the Sermon on the Mount, Matthew 7:14 states “the gate is narrow and the way is constricted that leads to life, and there are few who find it,” where “few” renders this same adjective, here of a small number of people.

A little while, for a little while, a short time, brief, briefly67.106

Describing the succession of kings in the vision, Revelation 17:10 states “when he comes, he must remain a little while,” where “a little while” renders this same adjective marking a brief span of remaining time.

Little, to a small degree, slight78.8

Describing Agrippa's near-persuasion, Acts 26:28 states he replied to Paul, “In a short time you are going to persuade me to make a Christian of myself,” where “a short time” renders this same adjective, here of the small degree by which Agrippa remained unpersuaded.

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

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.