UBS Dictionary of the Greek New Testament

Sense 1: donkey, ass

Semantic entry: 4.31

Semantic domains: Animals

Subdomains: Animals

Definition: domestic animal belonging to the same family as the horse, but smaller and with longer ears; it can have variety of colors from dark brown, through light brown to gray and occasionally white; Equus Asinus africanus; used to ride on, carry loads, or do other work

Notes: In the context of RV JHN 12:15 · LV JHN 12:15 · Read together JHN 12:15 the reference is obviously to a female donkey.|In languages in which there is no word for ‘donkey,’ it is usually best to borrow a term from a dominant language rather than attempting some type of descriptive equivalent. For example, in one language a descriptive designation, namely, ‘a long-eared animal,’ was understood by the people as referring to a rabbit. In some languages donkey is referred to as ‘a kind of small horse’ or ‘a small horse-like animal.’|Though in Greek the article and/or other attributives to the noun ὄνος indicate by their forms whether ὄνος is to be understood as masculine or feminine, in a number of languages quite different terms are employed for a male or female donkey.

Further resources: fauna:2.4