Word Study for G1640 (ἐλάσσων)

elássōn /el-at-tone'/ Ask about this word

Rootcomparative of the same as ἐλάχιστος

Meaningsmaller (in size, quantity, age or quality)

KJV usageless, under, worse, younger.

Word Study

In depth

A plain-language study of elássōn — the range of meaning it carries, how Scripture actually uses it, and where it points. Written for readers who don’t know the original language.

Core Meaning & Semantic Range

The Greek word elássōn, represented by G1640, is a comparative term meaning smaller in size, quantity, age, or quality. It is translated as less, under, worse, or younger. This word appears 4 times in 4 unique verses, demonstrating a focused but varied application across different contexts in scripture.

Biblical Occurrences & Contextual Analysis

In its biblical usage, G1640 is applied in several distinct ways. It is used to establish a principle of spiritual hierarchy, where "the less is blessed of the better" Hebrews 7:7. It can denote a lower quality, as in the description of wine that is worse John 2:10. The term also refers to age, both in setting a minimum requirement for widows being taken into the number "under threescore years old" 1 Timothy 5:9 and in a prophetic declaration that the elder would serve the younger Romans 9:12.

Related Words & Concepts

Several related words provide contrast and expand upon the concepts of comparison and hierarchy:

G2909 kreíttōn: This word means "better" or "nobler" and often appears in contexts highlighting superior spiritual realities, such as a better covenant Hebrews 8:6 or a better resurrection Hebrews 11:35. It is the direct counterpart to G1640 in Hebrews 7:7.
G3187 meízōn: Meaning "larger" or "greater," this term is used to compare importance, magnitude, or age. It is notably used to describe how the "elder shall serve the younger" Romans 9:12 and to declare that "charity" is the greatest of faith, hope, and charity 1 Corinthians 13:13.

Theological Significance

The theological and practical weight of G1640 is significant for its rarity. It illustrates key principles through comparison.

Spiritual Authority: The statement in Hebrews 7:7 that the less is blessed by the better establishes a foundational principle of spiritual order and authority, where blessing flows from a higher position to a lower one.
Sovereign Election: In Romans 9:12, the word younger is pivotal in the account of Jacob and Esau. It underscores God's sovereign choice, which subverts natural human expectations of birthright and primogeniture.
Qualitative and Chronological Measure: The uses in John 2:10 (worse) and 1 Timothy 5:9 (under) show the word's role in making both qualitative judgments and setting practical, chronological boundaries for church life.

Summary

In summary, G1640 is a versatile comparative term. While used sparingly, its applications are precise and impactful, conveying concepts of quality, age, and status. From the quality of wine at a wedding to the profound theological principle of divine election and spiritual hierarchy, elássōn provides a critical lens for understanding comparison and order within the biblical text.

How the KJV Renders It

Translation

Strong’s lists the renderings but not their weight. These are counted from the King James text of the tagged verses — the bar under each is how often the translators actually reached for it. Select one to filter the occurrences below.

Grammatical Forms

Morphology

In the Greek New Testament, this word appears as an adjective across 4 occurrences, inflected in 4 grammatical forms — each row is one form, and the bar is how often it is that form. Select any form to read what each part of its name means, and to filter the occurrence list to it. These are this word’s own inflections, not words built from it — for those, see Related Words.

ἐλάσσω·
ἔλαττον
ἐλάσσονι·
ἔλαττον

Related Words

2 entries in Strong’s name this word as their origin. These are its derivatives — a different relationship from the inflected forms above, which are this same word bent by grammar.

Other entries the study above points to — each one is drawn from a reference it makes. Follow the trail to see how the words connect.

Theographic Context

Context

The people, places, and span of history the verses containing this word touch on — drawn from the theographic tagging of Scripture. Select any name to isolate its verses in the occurrence list.

Biblical Distribution

Distribution

Appears in 4 verses across 4 of the 27 books. 4 books tie for most frequent (1 verse each); never once in the other 23.

John

Romans

1 Timothy

Hebrews

Every Occurrence

Concordance

Every verse where the word is tagged in the King James text. Filter by book, by the English word the translators chose, by grammatical form, or search within the verses.

Sources. Definition and numbering: James Strong, Exhaustive Concordance of the Bible (1890). Morphology: STEPBible / Tyndale House (CC BY). Verse tagging: the King James text keyed to Strong’s numbers. Every count on this page is computed from the tagged corpus, not estimated.