What does χαρακτήρ (charaktḗr) mean in the Bible?
χαρακτήρ (charaktḗr): Exact imprint or representation bearing the nature of what it reproduces, not merely a copy.
Greek · G5481
χαρακτήρ
Reproduction
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χαρακτήρG5481
Pronunciationcharaktḗr
What does χαρακτήρ (charaktḗr) mean in the Bible?
χαρακτήρ (charaktḗr): Exact imprint or representation bearing the nature of what it reproduces, not merely a copy.
Full entry for χαρακτήρ (G5481) · Open the biblical lexicon
Questions this entry answers
How does the BSB render G5481?
The BSB source-word alignment has 1 aligned row for this entry. Common renderings include [the] exact representation (1).
Where does χαρακτήρ (charaktḗr) appear in Scripture?
The source-word alignment first shows this entry at Hebrews 1:3. Its strongest book concentrations include Hebrews (1).
Source Word Evidence
BSB source-word alignment connects this entry to exact verse rows, English rendering, source form, transliteration, and parsing.
How English Renders It[the] exact representation1×Hebrews 1:3
Show sample aligned rows
Usage map
A compact distribution from source-word alignment before the full evidence tables.
First aligned rowHebrews 1:3
Aligned rows1
Books represented1
Hebrews1
Source forms
χαρακτὴρ1xcharaktērHebrews 1:3
Parsing patterns
Noun - Nominative Masculine Singular1xHebrews 1:3
Evidence Summary
Messiah
Greek word. Exact imprint or representation bearing the nature of what it reproduces, not merely a copy.
Strong'sG5481
Lexical occurrences1 verseGreek text appearances1 timeWord forms1 form1 referenceVerse guides0 guides
Study linkHebrews 1:1-4Source Gloss
reproduction
Extended definitionSource: STEPBible TBESG + Abbott-Smith
Exact imprint or representation bearing the nature of what it reproduces, not merely a copy.
(χαράσσω, to engrave), [in LXX: Lev.13:28 (צָרֶבֶת), 2Ma.4:10, 4Ma.15:4 א R * ;]
1a tool for graving.
2a stamp or impress: as on a coin or seal; metaphorically, χ. τ. ὑποστάσεως, Heb.1:3.
Greek Text Appearances
Textus Receptus witness, full corpusGreek token appearances from Scrivener 1894 Textus Receptus in the full New Testament corpus.
1 Greek text appearance shown. Linked morphology labels have verse guides.
Hebrews 1:3Noun Nominative Singular Masculine
χαρακτὴρcarakthr
an exact reproduction
Read verseFull New Testament corpus: 260 chapters, 7,957 verses, 140,628 tokens. Data source: honza/textus-receptus (data only), with authority check against byztxt/greektext-textus-receptus.
Grammatical Forms
How this word appears across different grammatical cases and numbers.
This word appears as a noun across 1 case and number pattern. The form changes show how the word functions in a sentence; they do not change the basic lexical meaning by themselves.
Form patterns1Aligned forms1Case patternNominative (1)Number patternSingular (1)
Verse guides are not available for this word yet, so verse references remain plain evidence markers.
Nominative · Singular · MasculineHeb 1:31×
Where It Appears in Scripture
Where this word appears in Scripture: passage, original form, and sense in context.
New Testament Witnesses
exact imprint/representation
Word Origins
χαρακτήρ is built from this root:
χάραξG5482
Why This Word Matters
Affirms the Son's precise representation of God's being, grounding high Christology. Wuest lexical comments and Mounce grammar-level help support precise Christological teaching.Hebrews 1:1-4
Canonical Themes
Messiah