G4591 — σημαίνω (sēmaínō)¶

Core Data¶

Strong's: G4591
Original: σημαίνω
Transliteration: sēmaínō
Pronunciation: say-mah-ee-no
Part of Speech: Verb
Root: σῆμα (sēma) — a mark, sign (of uncertain derivation)
Occurrences: 6 in NT
First Occurrence: John 12:33 — "This he said, signifying what death he should die."
Hapax Legomenon: No

Lexicon Definition¶

From σῆμα (sēma), a mark; to indicate, signify. The core sense is communication through signs rather than direct plain statement — pointing to something by means of an indicator or token.

Louw-Nida Semantic Domain¶

Domain: 33.010 — Interpret, Mean, Explain
Parent Domain: 33 — Communication
Glosses: to indicate clearly, to make clear
Other words in subdomain: ἀνατίθημι (G394, explain), δείκνυμι (G1166a, show/demonstrate), δηλόω (G1213, make known/reveal), διασαφέω (G1285, make clear/explain), διερμηνεύω (G1329, translate/interpret)

UBS Semantic Domains¶

Code	Domain Label	Notes
033	Communication	`search_relationships.py` keeps sēmaínō in the broad communication field, reinforcing that the verb concerns making meaning known by signals rather than performing the sign itself.

Translation Distribution (KJV)¶

Translation	Count	%
signifying	3	50%
and signified	2	33%
to signify	1	17%

Every NT occurrence is translated with a form of "signify." There is no variation in English rendering.

Distribution by Book¶

Book	Count	Per 100 Verses
John	3	0.34
Acts	2	0.20
Revelation	1	0.25

The word is confined to Johannine and Lukan writings. John uses it 3 times (all in his Gospel), Luke uses it twice in Acts, and it appears once in Revelation 1:1. The Johannine concentration (4 of 6 uses counting Revelation) is notable. Paul, the Synoptic Gospels, and all other NT authors never use this word.

Grammatical Forms Attested¶

Form	Parsing	Occurrences	References
σημαίνων	Pres Act Ptcp Nom Sg M	3	John 12:33; 18:32; 21:19
ἐσήμαινεν	Impf Act Ind 3S	1	Acts 11:28
σημᾶναι	Aor Act Inf	1	Acts 25:27
ἐσήμανεν	Aor Act Ind 3S	1	Rev 1:1

The present participle dominates in John's Gospel (all three uses). The aorist forms appear in Acts and Revelation, indicating completed communicative acts. No passive or middle forms are attested in the NT.

Semantic Categories¶

1. Indicating the Manner of Death (Johannine Usage)¶

John 12:33 — "This he said, signifying what death he should die." (Jesus speaking of being "lifted up")
John 18:32 — "That the saying of Jesus might be fulfilled, which he spake, signifying what death he should die."
John 21:19 — "This spake he, signifying by what death he should glorify God."

All three Johannine uses follow the identical pattern: Jesus speaks indirectly about the future, and the narrator explains that his words were "signifying" (σημαίνων) the manner of death — either his own or Peter's. The word captures how Jesus communicated prophetic truth through veiled or symbolic language rather than explicit statement.

2. Prophetic Revelation through the Spirit¶

Acts 11:28 — "And there stood up one of them named Agabus, and signified by the spirit that there should be great dearth throughout all the world."

Here the word describes a prophet (Agabus) communicating future events through the Holy Spirit. The medium is prophetic sign-action or symbolic declaration, not mere verbal prediction.

3. Formal Communication / Making Known¶

Acts 25:27 — "For it seemeth to me unreasonable to send a prisoner, and not withal to signify the crimes laid against him."

Festus uses the word in a legal/administrative sense — to formally indicate or specify the charges. This is the most "ordinary" use, closest to the basic meaning of making something known through designation.

4. Divine Apocalyptic Communication¶

Rev 1:1 — "The Revelation of Jesus Christ, which God gave unto him, to shew unto his servants things which must shortly come to pass; and he sent and signified it by his angel unto his servant John."

This programmatic use in Revelation's opening verse is theologically dense. The chain of communication runs: God → Jesus Christ → angel → John → the servants. The verb ἐσήμανεν (aorist active) describes how Christ communicated the revelation — through signs (σημεῖα). This establishes that Revelation's content is sign-communicated, mediated through symbolic imagery rather than literal plain-language description.

Common Collocations¶

Word	Strong's	Co-occurrences	Typical Pattern
θάνατος (thanatos)	G2288	3x (50%)	"signifying what death" (ποίῳ θανάτῳ) — always the manner of death
μέλλω (mellō)	G3195	3x (50%)	"was about to" — future orientation, signifying what will happen
ἀποθνήσκω (apothnēskō)	G599	2x (33%)	"to die" — paired with thanatos in death-manner contexts
γίνομαι (ginomai)	G1096	2x (33%)	"come to pass" — the events being signified
Ἰησοῦς (Iēsous)	G2424	2x (33%)	Jesus as the one whose words "signify"
θεός (theos)	G2316	2x (33%)	God as ultimate source of what is signified

The dominant collocation with "death" (50%) and "about to" (50%) underscores the word's prophetic, future-oriented character. Sēmaínō consistently points forward to events not yet realized.

Word Family / Cognates¶

G4592 σημεῖον (sēmeion) — a sign, mark, miracle, token (77x in NT). The noun cognate; shares the root σῆμα. Where sēmaínō is the act of communicating by signs, sēmeion is the sign itself.
G4593 σημειόω (sēmeioō) — to note, mark (1x: 2 Thess 3:14). To mark out or designate.
G767 ἄσημος (asēmos) — without mark, insignificant (1x: Acts 21:39). Negated form of the root.
G1978 ἐπίσημος (episēmos) — notable, of note (2x: Matt 27:16; Rom 16:7). Having a mark upon, distinguished.
G4953 σύσσημον (syssēmon) — a sign agreed upon, token (1x: Mark 14:44). A shared or prearranged sign.

Synonyms¶

No direct synonyms were returned by search_relationships.py for G4591.

Antonyms¶

No antonyms were returned by search_relationships.py for G4591.

Easily Confused Words¶

Word	Strong's	Shared Translation	Key Difference
δηλόω (dēloō)	G1213	"signify" (1x: 1 Pet 1:11 "did signify")	dēloō = make plain/declare directly; sēmaínō = communicate through signs/tokens, inherently indirect

Domain Neighbors (Louw-Nida 33.010)¶

Word	Strong's	Total Vv	Key Difference
δηλόω (dēloō)	G1213	3	Makes plain directly; sēmaínō communicates indirectly through signs
διασαφέω (diasapheō)	G1285	1	Explains something already said; sēmaínō introduces new content by sign
διερμηνεύω (diermēneuō)	G1329	4	Translates/interprets between languages; sēmaínō indicates by symbolic means
ἀνατίθημι (anatithēmi)	G394	2	Lays out/communicates a matter; sēmaínō specifically uses signs as medium

Hebrew Source (via LXX)¶

Hebrew Source	Strong's	Co-occurrences	PMI	Notes
שׁוֹפָר (showphar)	H7782	7	7.32	Trumpet/ram's horn — σημαίνω renders the act of trumpet signaling
תָּקַע (taqa)	H8628	5	6.86	To blow (a trumpet) — the verb for sounding a signal blast
רוּעַ (ruwa)	H7321	4	7.18	To shout, raise a war cry — alarm/signal by voice
זָהַר (zahar)	H2094	3	7.81	To warn, admonish — giving a signal of danger
תְּרוּעָה (truwah)	H8643	3	7.01	Alarm, shout, sound of trumpets — the signal itself

The LXX usage reveals a striking pattern: σημαίνω was used to translate Hebrew words for trumpeting, alarm-sounding, and warning signals. The word carried a strong connotation of communication through non-verbal signs — trumpet blasts, war cries, and alarm signals rather than verbal discourse. This OT background deepens the NT usage: when Revelation 1:1 says the revelation was "signified," the underlying semantic field includes the sounding of alarms and signals, not merely symbolic illustration.

No single Hebrew word dominates as a primary equivalent (all co-occurrence counts are below 20), so no cross-testament trace file is warranted.