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Greek

Soft/effeminate

μαλακόςStrong’s G3120

malakos

Appears in 3 verses of the New Testament

In short

Malakos is the Greek word usually translated “delicate”, “fine” and “effeminate”. It appears in 3 verses of the New Testament.

“But what went ye out for to see? A man clothed in soft raiment? behold, they that wear soft clothing are in kings’ houses.”
Matthew 11:8 KJV
Meaning

Usually translated “delicate”, “fine” and “effeminate”. Open the dictionary entry below for the full range of meaning, with the verses it cites.

How it's translated
  • delicate 2
  • fine 1
  • effeminate 1

Word-by-word English from the STEPBible tagged text.

Where it's used most
  • Matthew 1
  • Luke 1
  • 1 Corinthians 1

3 books in all.

Explore in Scripture
Greek dictionary

μαλακός malakos · soft/effeminate

μαλακός, -ή, -όν [in LXX: Pro.25:15 (רַךְ) Pro.26:22 (לָהַם)* ;] soft; 1. prop., to the touch (opposite to σκληρός): of clothing, pl., Mat.11:8, Luk.7:25. 2. Of persons and their mode of living; (a) mild, gentle; (b) soft, effeminate: 1Co.6:9 (prob. in obscene sense, cf. Deiss., LAE, 150, 4; MM, xvi; Zorell, see word).† (AS)

From STEPBible’s Greek lexicon (based on Abbott-Smith).

Webster's 1828 Dictionary

How the English word “delicate” was understood when the King James Version was still the common Bible of English readers.

DELICATE, adjective

[Latin Connected with delight; to delight.]

  1. Of a fine texture; fine; soft; smooth; clear, or fair; as a delicate skin.
  2. Nice; pleasing to the taste; of an agreeable flavor; as delicate food; a delicate dish.
  3. Nice in perception of what is agreeable; dainty; as a delicate taste; and figuratively, nice and discriminating in beauty and deformity.
  4. Nice; accurate; fine; soft to the eye; as a delicate color.
All definitions and other forms of “delicate”
  1. Nice in forms; regulated by minute observance of propriety, or by condescension and attention to the wishes and feelings of others; as delicate behavior or manners; a delicate address.
  2. Pleasing to the senses; as a delicate flavor.
  3. Fine; slender; minute; as a delicate thread.
  4. That cannot be handled without injury or danger; that must be touched with care; as a delicate point or topic; a delicate question.
  5. Composed of fine threads, or nicely interwoven; as a delicate texture; hence, soft and smooth to the touch; as delicate silk.
  6. Tender; effeminate; not able to endure hardship; very impressible to injury; as a delicate frame or constitution.
  7. Feeble; not sound or robust; as delicate health.

DELICATE, noun

Any thing nice; a nicety.

    Noah Webster, An American Dictionary of the English Language (1828). Verse references are checked against the KJV. Read the full entry.

    Verses are from the King James Version. Word meanings come from the original Greek, not from any one translation.