UBS Dictionary of the Greek New Testament

Sense 1: to cause to become nonsense

Semantic entry: 32.59

Semantic domains: Understand

Subdomains: Lack of Capacity for Understanding

Definition: (causative derivative of μωρία ‘foolishness,’ 32.57: μωρία) to cause the content of certain thoughts to become devoid of meaning

Notes: In OET CO1 1:20 the focus is upon the content of wisdom and nonsense, and it may be necessary to make this explicit, for example, ‘the people of the world thought that what they understood was wise, but God showed that their thoughts were foolish’ or ‘… their way of thinking was foolish.’

Sense 2: to become foolish, to act more foolishly

Semantic entry: 32.56

Semantic domains: Understand

Subdomains: Lack of Capacity for Understanding

Definition: (derivative of μωρός[a] ‘unwise, foolish,’ 32.55: μωρός) to become one who does not employ a capacity to understand and thus acts very foolishly

Forms: μωραίνομαι[a]

Sense 3: to become tasteless, to lose taste

Semantic entry: 79.44

Semantic domains: Features of Objects

Subdomains: Sweet, Bitter, Tasteless

Definition: to become insipid or tasteless

Notes: In OET MAT 5:13 μωραίνομαι is equivalent to ἄναλος (5.27: ἄναλος), that is to say, to be without a salt taste. Pure salt cannot actually lose its taste, but the sodium chloride of impure salt can be leached out, especially in humid weather, and the remaining substance is accordingly tasteless. See also discussion at 5.25: ἅλς.

Forms: μωραίνομαι[b]