Midvash

πολύςpolýs

(singular) much (in any respect) or (plural) many; neuter (singular) as adverbial, largely; neuter (plural) as adverb or noun often, mostly, largely

Greek (New Testament) · G4183

Meanings

1. as, much, many, great, of number, space, degree, value, time, etc.: ἀριθμός, Acts 11:21; ὄχλος, Mark 5:24; θερισμός, Matthew 9:37; χόρτος, John 6:10; χρόνος, Matthew 25:19; γογγυσμός, John 7:12; πόνος, Colossians 4:13; δόξα, Matthew 24:30; σιγή, Acts 21:40; plural, προφῆται, Matthew 13:17; ὄχλοι, Matthew 4:25; δαιμόνια, Mark 1:34; δυνάμεις, Matthew 7:22

2. As as a noun, plural masc., πολλοί, many (persons): Matthew 7:22, Mark 2:2, and elsewhere; with genitive partit., Matthew 3:7, Luke 1:16, and elsewhere; followed by ἐκ, John 7:31, Acts 17:12; with article, οἱ π., the many, Matthew 24:12, Romans 12:5, 1 Corinthians 10:17, 1 Corinthians 10:33, 2 Corinthians 2:17; opposed to ὁ εἶς, Romans 5:15, Romans 5:19; neuter plural, πολλά: Matthew 13:3, Mark 5:26, and elsewhere; accusative with adverbial force, Mark 1:45, Romans 16:6, 1 Corinthians 16:12, James 3:2, and elsewhere; neuter sing., πολύ: Luke 12:48; adverbially, Mark 12:27, and elsewhere; πολλοῦ (genitive pret.), Matthew 26:9; with compar. (Bl., § 44, 5), π. σπουδαιότερον, 2 Corinthians 8:22; πολλῷ πλείους, John 4:41.

Compar., neuter, πλεῖον and πλέον, plural, πλείονες, -ας, -α, contr., πλείους, -ω (cf. Mayser, 69), more, greater

1. as: John 15:2, Acts 18:20, Hebrews 3:3; followed by παρά, Hebrews 11:4; pi., Acts 13:31, and elsewhere; with genitive compar., Matthew 21:36; with num. (ἤ of comp. omitted), Acts 4:22, Acts 24:11, and elsewhere

2. As as a noun, οἱ π., the greater number: Acts 19:32, Acts 27:12, 1 Corinthians 10:5, 1 Corinthians 15:6; also (Bl., § 44, 3) others, more, the more: 2 Corinthians 2:6, 2 Corinthians 4:15, Philippians 1:14; πλείονα, Luke 11:53; πλειον, πλέον, Matthew 20:10, 2 Timothy 3:9; with genitive comp., Mark 12:43, Mark 12:43, Luke 21:3; π. Ἰωνᾶ ὧδε, Matthew 12:41; adverbially, Acts 4:17, Acts 20:9, Acts 24:4.

3. As πλεῖον: followed by ἤ, Luke 9:13; with genitive comp., Matthew 5:20; πλείω: with num., Matthew 26:53.

Superl.

(a) properly, most: Matthew 11:20, Matthew 21:8; adverbially, τὸ π., 1 Corinthians 14:27

(b) elative, very great: ὄχλος π., Mark 4:1.

Same root

Where it appears

Appears 367 times in the Bible.

  • Matthew 2:18 “A cry was heard in Ramah— weeping and great mourning. Rachel weeps for her children, refusing to be comforted, for they are dead.”
  • Matthew 3:7 But when he saw many Pharisees and Sadducees coming to watch him baptize, he denounced them. “You brood of snakes!” he exclaimed. “Who warned you to flee the coming wrath?
  • Matthew 4:25 Large crowds followed him wherever he went—people from Galilee, the Ten Towns, Jerusalem, from all over Judea, and from east of the Jordan River.
  • Matthew 5:12 Be happy about it! Be very glad! For a great reward awaits you in heaven. And remember, the ancient prophets were persecuted in the same way.
  • Matthew 6:30 And if God cares so wonderfully for wildflowers that are here today and thrown into the fire tomorrow, he will certainly care for you. Why do you have so little faith?
  • Matthew 7:13 “You can enter God’s Kingdom only through the narrow gate. The highway to hell is broad, and its gate is wide for the many who choose that way.
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Source: G. Abbott-Smith, A Manual Greek Lexicon of the New Testament (1922), public domain.