hapax legomenon

December 4, 2009

[hap’-aks luh-gawm‘-uh-nawn’]

(Greek hapax, “once” + Greek legein, “to count” or ”to say” = ”once said”)

This is a word that only occurs once in a particular body of literature. With regards to the Scriptures, exegetes will often find a word that only appears one time. In the New Testament alone, there are 1,932 words that occur only once (USB). When this happens, it is often difficult to determine the exact meaning of the word because there are no other usages with which one can compare it.

Posted in H, L