Epsilon (Ε/ε) – New Testament Greek words that start with epsilon
Quick reference
- Greek Name:
- ἒ ψιλόν
- English Name:
- epsilon
- Pronunciation:
- ĕ’ psē-lŏn’
- Upper-case Letter:
- Ε
- Lower-case Letter:
- ε
- Speech Sound:
- vowel (short)
- Numerical Value:
- 5
Pronunciation guide
In Koine Greek, the letter Epsilon represented a closed-mid front unrounded vowel, pronounced as the short “e” in “bed.”
Numerical significance
In the Greek numeral system (isopsephy), Epsilon represents the number five (5). The number five can symbolize balance and harmony, as it is the midpoint of the numbers one through nine. In Greek and other cultural contexts, it often represents humanity, possibly due to the human body’s pentagonal symmetry (two arms, two legs, and a head).
Cultural and symbolic meaning
The letter Epsilon derives from the Phoenician letter “He,” which originally may have been designed to resemble a window or possibly a man with raised arms.