Original Word: ἀφορμή, ῆς, ἡ
Part of Speech: Noun, Feminine
Transliteration: aphormé
Phonetic Spelling: (af-or-may')
Short Definition: an occasion, opportunity
Definition: (a) a starting, a start, (b) cause, occasion, opportunity.

874 aphormḗ (from 575 /apó, "away from" and 3730 /hormḗ, "a violent rush") – properly, a pretext ("launching point") to assert an idea – literally, "what charges from (off) a starting point"; (figuratively) the occasion something has to come forward because having the "successful launching pad" to get something started ("affording an opportunity"). 874 (aphormḗ) is usually used negatively in the NT, but positively in 2 Cor 5:12.

STRONGS NT 874: ἀφορμή

ἀφορμή, ἀφορμῆς, ἡ (ἀπό and ὁρμή which see);

1. properly, a place from which a movement or attack is made, a base of operations: Thucydides 1, 90 (τήν Πελοποννησον πᾶσιν ἀναχωρησιν τέ καί ἀφορμήν ἱκανήν εἶναι); Polybius 1, 41, 6.

2. metaphorically, "that by which endeavor is excited and from which it goes forth; that which gives occasion and supplies matter for an undertaking, the incentive; the resources we avail ourselves of in attempting or performing anything": Xenophon, mem. 3, 12, 4 (τοῖς ἑαυτῶν παισί καλλιους ἀφορμας εἰς τόν βίον καταλειπουσι), and often in Greek writings; λαμβάνειν, to take occasion, find an incentive, Romans 7:8, 11 διδόναι, 2 Corinthians 5:12; 1 Timothy 5:14 (3Macc. 3:2; both phrases often also in Greek writings); 2 Corinthians 11:12; Galatians 5:13. On the meanings of this word see Viger. edition Herm., p. 81f; Phryn. ed. Lob., p. 223f; (Rutherford, New Phryn., p. 304).

occasion.

From a compound of apo and hormao; a starting-point, i.e. (figuratively) an opportunity -- occasion.

see GREEK apo

see GREEK hormao

αφορμή αφορμην αφορμήν ἀφορμήν ἀφορμὴν aphormen aphormēn aphormḗn aphormḕnInterlinear Greek • Interlinear Hebrew • Strong's Numbers • Englishman's Greek Concordance • Englishman's Hebrew Concordance • Parallel Texts