γραώδης (graōdēs)
graōdēs
old wives’ tale
Quick Reference
- Language
- Koine Greek
- Testament
- New Testament
- Occurrences
- 1 verses
- Root
- —
Word Overview
The adjective graōdēs literally means "old-womanish," derived from the word for an elderly woman (graûs) combined with a suffix indicating resemblance or quality. In the New Testament, it appears only once, in 1 Timothy 4:7, where Paul instructs Timothy to train himself in godliness instead of engaging in these matters.
While modern English often translates this term as "old wives' tales," suggesting superstitious myths or false stories, the Greek root points more directly to the source than the content. It describes teachings that are fanciful, trivial, or rooted in the uneducated speculations often associated with elderly women in ancient cultural contexts, rather than serious theological truth.
Paul’s use of this word highlights a contrast between spiritual discipline and empty chatter. By labeling certain myths as graōdēs, he dismisses them not just as incorrect, but as immature and unworthy of a mature believer's attention, urging a focus on enduring spiritual realities instead.
Based on public-domain lexicons (Strong's, Thayer, Gesenius, Brown-Driver-Briggs and others).
What This Word Means for Your Faith
The word translated as "old wives' tales" carries a sharp cultural sting in its original Greek. It describes stories that are fanciful, trivial, or rooted in idle speculation rather than serious truth. Paul uses this term to draw a clear line between empty chatter and the disciplined pursuit of godliness. He is not merely correcting a factual error; he is pointing out a difference in maturity and focus.
For your faith life, this offers a gentle invitation to evaluate where you spend your mental energy. Not every interesting story or popular theory deserves your attention. Some things are simply distractions that pull you away from what truly matters. Paul encourages Timothy—and us—to train ourselves in spiritual realities instead of chasing after myths that have no lasting value.
This doesn't mean we ignore all non-biblical ideas, but it does suggest we should be selective about what shapes our worldview. When we choose to focus on the solid teachings of Scripture, we find a stability that fleeting stories cannot provide. Let this word remind you to seek depth and truth in your daily walk, rather than settling for superficial noise.
How it's translated
How this word is rendered word-by-word in the 1 verses where it appears, by frequency.
- silly1×
Forms in the text
The inflected forms of this word as they appear in Scripture, by frequency.
- γραώδεις1×
Key Verses
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I Timothy 4:7
But refuse profane and old wives’ fables. Exercise yourself toward godliness.
This is the only occurrence of the word in the New Testament, where Paul contrasts idle myths with the serious discipline of godliness.