Bible Lexicons

Berry's Synonyms of the New TestamentBerry's NT Synonyms

Child

τέκνον, υἱός, παῖς, παιδίον, παιδάριον, παιδίσκη.

τέκνον and υἱός both point to parentage. τέκνον, however, emphasizes the idea of descent, giving prominence to the physical and outward aspects; while υἱός emphasizes the idea of relationship, and considers especially the inward, ethical, and legal aspects. παῖς as well as τέκνον emphasizes the idea of descent, but gives especial prominence to age, denoting a child as one who is young. παῖς is also often used of a servant. The number of years covered by the term παῖς is quite indefinite. Its diminutives παιδίον and παιδάριον are used without appreciable difference to denote a young child. (παιδίσκος in classical Greek and) παιδίσκη, in which the diminutive force is largely lost, cover the years of late childhood and early youth.