verb
tiktamō
Strong’sG5088
I bear, bring forth, produce
stem tikt-18 times in the New Testamentin 7 of 27 books11 forms occur
What it means
A plain-English reading of the word, with the lexicons it draws on — Abbott-Smith, Strong's, and Liddell-Scott-Jones — right below it, in full.
AI Summary
τίκτω means to give birth, bear a child, bring forth young 1234. In the New Testament it is used of a mother giving birth, both without an object (e.g. describing the time for a woman to give birth) and with an object such as "a son" 1. It is also used in the passive of a child being born 1. More broadly, in Greek generally the word can also describe a father begetting a child, or animals bearing, hatching, or laying young 23, though the New Testament uses it only of the mother's act of bringing forth 1.
Figuratively, τίκτω means to produce or bring forth something, as when the earth is said to bring forth vegetation, or sin is said to bring forth death 1. This extended sense of generating or producing something, whether literally (as seed, plant, or earth producing) or figuratively, is also noted more generally 23.
Sources: 1 Abbott-Smith 2 Strong's 3 LSJ 4 Dodson. Condensed by anthropic/claude-sonnet-5 on 2026-09-23 — it may still misstate what these say; check them yourself if it matters to you.
The lexicons it was drawn from, in full:
Abbott-Smith — the 1922 lexicon entry, in full
τίκτω
[in LXX chiefly for יָלַד;]
G. Abbott-Smith, A Manual Greek Lexicon of the New Testament, 1922 — public domain. References open in the reader.
Strong’s G5088 — the 1890 definition, and where the word comes from
Saidtik'-to
to produce (from seed, as a mother, a plant, the earth, etc.), literally or figuratively
Froma strengthened form of a primary τέκω (which is used only as alternate in certain tenses);
King Jamesbear, be born, bring forth, be delivered, be in travail.
James Strong, Exhaustive Concordance of the Bible, 1890 — public domain. The numbers in it link to the entries here.
Liddell-Scott-Jones — the classical dictionary this word appears in
Refs 8th c.BC+: future τέξω Refs 8th c.BC+; poetry infinitive also τεκεῖσθαι Refs 4th c.BC+: aorist ἔτεκον, Epic dialect τέκον, Refs 8th c.BC+, etc.: aorist 1 ἔτεξα only late, Refs 5th c.AD+ is probable reading in Refs 5th c.BC+: perfect τέτοκα Refs 8th c.BC+:—middle, in same sense as active, only in Poets, Refs 4th c.BC+: future (see. above): aorist ἐτεκόμην Refs 5th c.BC+, Epic dialect τεκόμην Refs 8th c.BC+; subjunctive τέκηαι Refs 3rd c.BC+:—passive, present indicative τίκτεται Refs 4th c.BC+; infinitive τίκτεσθαι Refs 2nd c.AD+participle τικτόμενοςRefs: future τεχθήσομαι Refs 1st c.AD+: aorist ἐτέχθην LXX+5th c.BC+perfect τέτεγμαι, infinitive τετέχθαι, Refs 2nd c.AD+--These passive tenses seem not to have been used in correct Attic dialect:—bring into the world, engender; of the father, beget, of the mother, bring forth.
I imperfect active τίκτε, ἔτικτε, in Refs 8th c.BC+ usually of the father, Refs 8th c.BC+, Lyric poetry, and Trag. the present and imperfect are also used of the mother, ἃ Θήβαν ἔτικτεν Refs 5th c.BC+; δεινὸν τὸ τίκτεινRefs 5th c.BC+; of both parents. Στάσις δὲ καὶ Κρόνος.. τίκτετον τύραννον Refs 5th c.BC+
I.2 aorist active τέκε, ἔτεκε, mostly of the mother, Refs 8th c.BC+ (also future middle τέξεσθαι Refs 5th c.BC+ of the father, Refs 8th c.BC+
I.3 the aorist middle τέκετο is commonly used of the father, as Refs 8th c.BC+ of the mother, Refs 8th c.BC+; so τῶν τεκομένων of the mother, Refs 4th c.BC+
I.4 the two are conjoined, ὃν τέκετο θάνατος, ἔτεκε δ᾽ αἰόλος δράκων Refs 5th c.BC+
I.5 aorist active is used in plural of both parents, Refs 8th c.BC+; aorist middle τεκόμεσθα, Refs 8th c.BC+
I.5.b οἱ τεκόντες the parents, Refs 5th c.BC+; the Article is rarely omitted, πατέρων τε καὶ τεκόντων Refs 4th c.BC+ the father, Refs 5th c.BC+; ἁ τεκοῦσα the mother, Refs 5th c.BC+; ἡ τ. αὐτόν his mother, Refs 5th c.BC+
I.6 frequently in in Medicine texts and other Prose, of women, τίκτουσι ῥηϊδίως Refs 5th c.BC+
II of female animals, bear young, breed, of mares, Refs 8th c.BC+; of cows, Refs 8th c.BC+; of sheep, Refs 8th c.BC+; of the hare, τὰ μὲν τέτοκε, τὰ δὲ τίκτει, τὰ δὲ κύει Refs 5th c.BC+; of birds, hatch, Refs 8th c.BC+; ᾠὰ τ. lay eggs, Refs 5th c.BC+; of fish, spawn, Refs 2nd c.AD+
III of the earth, bear, produce, ἔμπεδα μῆλα (sheep) Refs 8th c.BC+:—middle, γαῖαν.., ἣ τὰ πάντα τίκτεται Refs 4th c.BC+:—passive, τίκτεσθαι δὲ φόρους γᾶς.. εὐχόμεθ᾽ ἀεί Refs
IV metaphorically, generate, engender, produce, λέγω τὴν χώρην λιμὸν τέξεσθαι Refs 5th c.BC+; of impiety, τὸ γὰρ δυσσεβὲς ἔργον μετὰ μὲν πλείονα τίκτει NT+4th c.BC+; of Night as the mother of Day, τῆς.. τεκούσης φῶς τόδ᾽ εὐφρόνης Refs 5th c.BC+; also in Prose, νουσήματα Refs 5th c.BC+ —passive, τῷδε κέρδει (sic codices) κέρδος ἄλλο τίκτεται Refs 4th c.BC+
H. G. Liddell, R. Scott, H. S. Jones, A Greek-English Lexicon (9th ed., 1925–1940) — digitised by the Perseus Digital Library and corrected and expanded by Tyndale House, Cambridge, via STEPBible-Data's TFLSJ table, CC BY 4.0. Covers all of Greek literature, not just the Bible.
Translated as
Every occurrence, sorted by the English it was actually given — the evidence for what the word means, not a gloss of it.
Berean Standard Bible (BSB), dedicated to the public domain — berean.bible.
Biblang forms
What the New Testament actually uses, first — the whole system this verb is built from is one click further down.
| Form and the Greek behind it | What it is | Usually | Times |
|---|---|---|---|
| tiktatōτίκτει | happening now · he/she/itpresent active indicative 3rd person singular | gives birth | 1× |
| tiktesiτέξῃ | will happen · youfuture middle indicative 2nd person singular | bear | 1× |
| tiktetiτέξεται | will happen · he/she/itfuture middle indicative 3rd person singular | bear | 2× |
| tiktataἔτεκεν | happened · he/she/itaorist active indicative 3rd person singular | gave birth | 4× |
| tiktitaἐτέχθη | happened · he/she/itaorist passive indicative 3rd person singular | born | 1× |
| tiktateiōτίκτῃ | happening now · he/she/itpresent active subjunctive 3rd person singular | is in labor | 1× |
| tiktateiaτέκῃ | happened · he/she/itaorist active subjunctive 3rd person singular | born | 1× |
| tiktaraτεκεῖν | happened · the “to …” formaorist active infinitive | give birth | 4× |
| tiktarōntasτίκτουσα | happening now · subjectpresent active participle nominative singular feminine | produces | 1× |
| tiktarōntarτίκτουσα | happening now · direct addresspresent active participle vocative singular feminine | bear | 1× |
| tiktirantosτεχθεὶς | happened · subjectaorist passive participle nominative singular masculine | born | 1× |
Every form the New Testament uses, in paradigm order. What the system can build beyond them — the whole of this verb, whether the text happens to use it or not — is in the tables below.
Every form the system can build — all 204, by mood, including the ones the New Testament never uses
Statements — indicative mood, 9 occurrences
the subject acts active voice
| Who person | happening now present | was happening imperfect | will happen future | happened aorist | has happened perfect | had happened pluperfect |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| I 1st person singular | tiktamō | tiktame | tiktami | tiktama | tiktamē | tiktamelē |
| you 2nd person singular | tiktasō | tiktase | tiktasi | tiktasa | tiktasē | tiktaselē |
| he/she/it 3rd person singular | tiktatō1×τίκτει | tiktate | tiktati | tiktata4×ἔτεκεν | tiktatē | tiktatelē |
| we 1st person plural | tiktanō | tiktane | tiktani | tiktana | tiktanē | tiktanelē |
| ye 2nd person plural | tiktavō | tiktave | tiktavi | tiktava | tiktavē | tiktavelē |
| they 3rd person plural | tiktalō | tiktale | tiktali | tiktala | tiktalē | tiktalelē |
acts on itself, or is acted on middle or passive voice
| Who person | happening now present | was happening imperfect | has happened perfect | had happened pluperfect |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| I 1st person singular | tiktomō | tiktome | tiktomē | tiktomelē |
| you 2nd person singular | tiktosō | tiktose | tiktosē | tiktoselē |
| he/she/it 3rd person singular | tiktotō | tiktote | tiktotē | tiktotelē |
| we 1st person plural | tiktonō | tiktone | tiktonē | tiktonelē |
| ye 2nd person plural | tiktovō | tiktove | tiktovē | tiktovelē |
| they 3rd person plural | tiktolō | tiktole | tiktolē | tiktolelē |
acts on or for itself middle voice
| Who person | will happen future | happened aorist |
|---|---|---|
| I 1st person singular | tiktemi | tiktema |
| you 2nd person singular | tiktesi1×τέξῃ | tiktesa |
| he/she/it 3rd person singular | tikteti2×τέξεται | tikteta |
| we 1st person plural | tikteni | tiktena |
| ye 2nd person plural | tiktevi | tikteva |
| they 3rd person plural | tikteli | tiktela |
acted on passive voice
| Who person | will happen future | happened aorist |
|---|---|---|
| I 1st person singular | tiktimi | tiktima |
| you 2nd person singular | tiktisi | tiktisa |
| he/she/it 3rd person singular | tiktiti | tiktita1×ἐτέχθη |
| we 1st person plural | tiktini | tiktina |
| ye 2nd person plural | tiktivi | tiktiva |
| they 3rd person plural | tiktili | tiktila |
May, might — subjunctive mood, 2 occurrences
the subject acts active voice
| Who person | happening now present | happened aorist | has happened perfect |
|---|---|---|---|
| I 1st person singular | tiktameiō | tiktameia | tiktameiē |
| you 2nd person singular | tiktaseiō | tiktaseia | tiktaseiē |
| he/she/it 3rd person singular | tiktateiō1×τίκτῃ | tiktateia1×τέκῃ | tiktateiē |
| we 1st person plural | tiktaneiō | tiktaneia | tiktaneiē |
| ye 2nd person plural | tiktaveiō | tiktaveia | tiktaveiē |
| they 3rd person plural | tiktaleiō | tiktaleia | tiktaleiē |
acts on itself, or is acted on middle or passive voice
| Who person | happening now present | has happened perfect |
|---|---|---|
| I 1st person singular | tiktomeiō | tiktomeiē |
| you 2nd person singular | tiktoseiō | tiktoseiē |
| he/she/it 3rd person singular | tiktoteiō | tiktoteiē |
| we 1st person plural | tiktoneiō | tiktoneiē |
| ye 2nd person plural | tiktoveiō | tiktoveiē |
| they 3rd person plural | tiktoleiō | tiktoleiē |
acts on or for itself middle voice
| Who person | happened aorist |
|---|---|
| I 1st person singular | tiktemeia |
| you 2nd person singular | tikteseia |
| he/she/it 3rd person singular | tikteteia |
| we 1st person plural | tikteneia |
| ye 2nd person plural | tikteveia |
| they 3rd person plural | tikteleia |
acted on passive voice
| Who person | happened aorist |
|---|---|
| I 1st person singular | tiktimeia |
| you 2nd person singular | tiktiseia |
| he/she/it 3rd person singular | tiktiteia |
| we 1st person plural | tiktineia |
| ye 2nd person plural | tiktiveia |
| they 3rd person plural | tiktileia |
Commands — imperative mood, no occurrences
the subject acts active voice
| Who person | happening now present | happened aorist | has happened perfect |
|---|---|---|---|
| you 2nd person singular | tiktasōr | tiktasar | tiktasēr |
| he/she/it 3rd person singular | tiktatōr | tiktatar | tiktatēr |
| ye 2nd person plural | tiktavōr | tiktavar | tiktavēr |
| they 3rd person plural | tiktalōr | tiktalar | tiktalēr |
acts on itself, or is acted on middle or passive voice
| Who person | happening now present | has happened perfect |
|---|---|---|
| you 2nd person singular | tiktosōr | tiktosēr |
| he/she/it 3rd person singular | tiktotōr | tiktotēr |
| ye 2nd person plural | tiktovōr | tiktovēr |
| they 3rd person plural | tiktolōr | tiktolēr |
acts on or for itself middle voice
| Who person | happened aorist |
|---|---|
| you 2nd person singular | tiktesar |
| he/she/it 3rd person singular | tiktetar |
| ye 2nd person plural | tiktevar |
| they 3rd person plural | tiktelar |
acted on passive voice
| Who person | happened aorist |
|---|---|
| you 2nd person singular | tiktisar |
| he/she/it 3rd person singular | tiktitar |
| ye 2nd person plural | tiktivar |
| they 3rd person plural | tiktilar |
Wishes — optative mood, no occurrences
the subject acts active voice
| Who person | happening now present | happened aorist |
|---|---|---|
| I 1st person singular | tiktamoiō | tiktamoia |
| you 2nd person singular | tiktasoiō | tiktasoia |
| he/she/it 3rd person singular | tiktatoiō | tiktatoia |
| we 1st person plural | tiktanoiō | tiktanoia |
| ye 2nd person plural | tiktavoiō | tiktavoia |
| they 3rd person plural | tiktaloiō | tiktaloia |
acts on itself, or is acted on middle or passive voice
| Who person | happening now present |
|---|---|
| I 1st person singular | tiktomoiō |
| you 2nd person singular | tiktosoiō |
| he/she/it 3rd person singular | tiktotoiō |
| we 1st person plural | tiktonoiō |
| ye 2nd person plural | tiktovoiō |
| they 3rd person plural | tiktoloiō |
acts on or for itself middle voice
| Who person | happened aorist |
|---|---|
| I 1st person singular | tiktemoia |
| you 2nd person singular | tiktesoia |
| he/she/it 3rd person singular | tiktetoia |
| we 1st person plural | tiktenoia |
| ye 2nd person plural | tiktevoia |
| they 3rd person plural | tikteloia |
acted on passive voice
| Who person | happened aorist |
|---|---|
| I 1st person singular | tiktimoia |
| you 2nd person singular | tiktisoia |
| he/she/it 3rd person singular | tiktitoia |
| we 1st person plural | tiktinoia |
| ye 2nd person plural | tiktivoia |
| they 3rd person plural | tiktiloia |
The “to …” form — infinitive, 4 occurrences
| Who is acting voice | happening now present | will happen future | happened aorist | has happened perfect |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| the subject acts active voice | tiktarō | tiktari | tiktara4×τεκεῖν | tiktarē |
| acts on itself, or is acted on middle or passive voice | tiktorō | tiktorē | ||
| acts on or for itself middle voice | tikteri | tiktera | ||
| acted on passive voice | tiktiri | tiktira |
Used as an adjective — participle, 3 occurrences
| Who is acting voice | happening now present | will happen future | happened aorist | has happened perfect |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| the subject acts active voice | tiktarōntos2× | tiktarintos | tiktarantos | tiktarēntos |
| acts on itself, or is acted on middle or passive voice | tiktorōntos | tiktorēntos | ||
| acts on or for itself middle voice | tikterintos | tikterantos | ||
| acted on passive voice | tiktirintos | tiktirantos1×τεχθεὶς |
Each is given in the form it takes as a subject. From there a participle carries the ordinary noun endings, in every case, number and gender — so these four columns are the whole of what the verb contributes.
How every form is built — the slots that make them
tikt is this word in every one of its forms. The slots after it make all the rest.
same in every form varies — every value shown
Where it appears
Every verse the word appears in, filed under the form it takes there.
18 occurrences, every one of them listed
tiktatō“gives birth”happening now · he/she/itpresent active indicative 3rd person singular1×
James 1:15eita tas epithumias sullabarantas tiktatō hamartan, tas de hamartas apotelirantas apokuatō …Then after desire has conceived, it gives birth to sin; and sin, when it …
tiktesi“bear”will happen · youfuture middle indicative 2nd person singular1×
Luke 1:31“bear”kai idou sullabesi en gastra kai tiktesi huion, kai kalasi tem onomem autou …Behold, you will conceive and give birth to a son, and you are to give Him the name Jesus.
tikteti“bear”will happen · he/she/itfuture middle indicative 3rd person singular2×
Matthew 1:21“bear”tikteti de huion kai kalasi tem onomem …… to a Son, and you are to give Him the name Jesus, because …
Matthew 1:23“bear”… tas parthenas en gastra echati kai tikteti huion, kai kalali tem onomem autou …“Behold, the virgin will be with child and will give birth to a son, and they will call Him Immanuel …
tiktata“gave birth”happened · he/she/itaorist active indicative 3rd person singular4×
Matthew 1:25kai ouk gnōskate autan heōs hou tiktata huion; kai kalata tem onomem autou …… no union with her until she gave birth to a Son. And he gave Him …
Luke 2:7kai tiktata ton huion autau ton prōtotokon, kai …And she gave birth to her firstborn, a Son. She …
Revelation 12:5kai tiktata huion, arsenem, hos mellatō poimanarō panteim …And she gave birth to a son, a male child …
Revelation 12:13… tan gēan, diōkata tan gunaikan hotinas tiktata ton arsenon.… he pursued the woman who had given birth to the male child.
tiktita“born”happened · he/she/itaorist passive indicative 3rd person singular1×
Luke 2:11hoti tiktita vi sēmeron sōtēros hos atō christos …… of David a Savior has been born to you. He is Christ the …
tiktateiō“is in labor”happening now · he/she/itpresent active subjunctive 3rd person singular1×
John 16:21“is in labor”tas gunaikas hotan tiktateiō lupan echatō, hoti erchata tas hōras …A woman has pain in childbirth because her time has come; but when …
tiktateia“born”happened · he/she/itaorist active subjunctive 3rd person singular1×
Revelation 12:4“born”… gunaikau tau mellarōntau tiktara, hina hotan tiktateia tem teknem autau katesthiateia.… before the woman who was about to give birth, ready to devour her child as soon …
tiktara“give birth”happened · the “to …” formaorist active infinitive4×
Luke 1:57“give birth”… de Elisabet pimplēita tos chronos teu tiktara autan, kai gennata huion.When the time came for Elizabeth to have her child, she gave birth to a son.
Luke 2:6“give birth”… autoin ekei pimplēila tais hēmerais teu tiktara autan,While they were there, the time came for her Child to …
Revelation 12:2“give birth”… echarōntas; kai krazatō ōdinarōntas kai basanizorōntas tiktara.… the pain and agony of giving …
Revelation 12:4… stēatē enōpion tau gunaikau tau mellarōntau tiktara, hina hotan tiktateia tem teknem autau …… the woman who was about to give birth, ready to devour her child as …
tiktarōntas“produces”happening now · subjectpresent active participle nominative singular feminine1×
Hebrews 6:7… epi autau erchorōnton pollakis hueton, kai tiktarōntas botanan euthetan ekeinoi dia hoin kai …… often falling on it and that produces a crop useful to those for …
tiktarōntar“bear”happening now · direct addresspresent active participle vocative singular feminine1×
Galatians 4:27“bear”grafotē gar; Eufranisar, steirar tas ouk tiktarōntar, rēgasar kai boasar, tas ouk ōdinarōntar; …For it is written: “Rejoice, O barren woman, who bears no children; break forth and cry aloud, you who have …
tiktirantos“born”happened · subjectaorist passive participle nominative singular masculine1×
Matthew 2:2legarōntois; Pou atō tos tiktirantos basilevos toiu Ioudaioiu? horana gar autou …… is the One who has been born King of the Jews? We saw …